There is a fair amount of criticism towards the Legalism of scribes and Pharisees, even within the Bible itself. This easily lead us to think that obeying the Law is more commendable in Old Testament era comparing to New Testament era.

The confusion point to an important question: Why God gave Israel the Law instead of giving them the Gospel directly? Was providing the Law a mistake in its first place?

Jesus made this really clear:

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. — Matthew 5:17-18 NIV

The law and its place haven’t changed, from the perspective of the time scale of human being, it stands forever. The Law given in the Old Testament era carries the same spirit as Gospel.

Obedience to the Law still matters for us. The Law was never meant for existing for its own sake, but for leading us toward God’s character and purpose. Yet this does not mean that we can bypass it and reach the goal. It is impossible to bear God’s image without fully obeying His Law.

The same pattern is projected to human society and likely happened to a lot of us.

When I was a child, my parents limited my video game time to one hour a week. The rule worked, and I only played one hour per week. But it also failed, because I spent the rest of the week longing for the next chance. Their goal wasn’t just to limit my playtime, but to protect me from addiction. Yet I mistook the restriction itself for the point.

Human beings usually mistake the method for its goal. There can be different reasons lead to this, and its almost part of our nature. When Israel allowed the law to take the place of God, Jesus came with the Gospel, making it unmistakably clear that the Law is not heaven itself, but the way that leads to heaven, and a way that all must walk.