Why is adherence to the law insufficient for salvation?

The law serves as a mirror that reveals our sinfulness and inability to meet God's perfect standard (Romans 3:20). As the preacher points out, we were born lawbreakers, and our efforts to follow the law can never attain the perfection required for salvation. This was evident in the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda, who symbolized the futility of reliance on the law for healing or salvation. The gospel teaches us that instead of working at the law, we must believe on Christ, who fulfilled the law for us, thus freeing us from its condemnation.