Why did God give the law if it cannot save us?

The law was never intended as a means of salvation; rather, it serves to reveal our wickedness and inability to uphold God's perfect standards. Romans 3 clarifies that no flesh can be justified before God by the law, which demands perfect obedience in thoughts, words, and actions. As fallen beings, we recognize our desperation when confronted with the law's ultimate requirement for holiness. The law acts as a schoolmaster, revealing our need for a Savior; it strips us of self-righteousness and drives us to acknowledge the sufficiency of Christ, who fulfilled the law on our behalf and bore its curse for sin.