Real Grace, Faith, Life and Freedom in Jesus Christ

Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:17-20

Didn't Jesus come to do away with the Law? Many grace-believers have claimed that he did. But if so, why did he tell the people that he did not come to abolish it? Let me tell you right up front that I believe Jesus said he did not come to abolish the Law because he did not come to abolish it. Yeah, yeah, I know we've got grace all worked out in such a way as to necessitate the absolute removal of the Law, but the truth is that it was not the Law that was removed from us, but rather that we were removed from the Law. To repeat this in more accurate terms, let me add that we were removed from the Law's domain. That would be the realm Jesus referred to in this passage, which is the domain of heaven and earth, the domain in which the Law will continue to hold its power. If you imagine such a ploy as being some kind of trickery or deception, I will suggest that you don't truly appreciate what it is to have been removed so thoroughly that we now only live here as aliens.