The Law convicts us in the NT as a tutor but we in Christ fulfill the old law according to scripture
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Galatians 3:24
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The law and the gospel are not two forces vying for control of human lives. That's a fantasy. The Law is, as you observed, a tutor to lead us to Christ. Its purpose is to show what is right and what is wrong. That's an idea that was obvious as far back as the days of Moses. The law is not bad, it is holy, just, and good says saint Paul. And if you read the law through new testament eyes you see it as it should be seen - as fencing around what is good and loving and kind while at the same time warning about what is divisive, wicked, and hurtful. But the gospel is not another kind of law. It is not new and better laws. The gospel is for spiritual maturity - for adults - while the law was for children in the faith. The period of childhood is over because Jesus has come. The gospel is the proclamation that God became man and he did that so than men may become like God. Saint Paul says:
Galatians 3:23 Before the time of faith had come, the law confined us, and kept us in custody, until the time in which faith would show up. 24 The law, then, was serving as a slave, to look after us until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. 25 With the coming of faith, we are no longer submitted to this guidance. 26 Now, in Christ Jesus, all of you are sons and daughters of God, through faith. 27 All of you, who were given to Christ through Baptism, have put on Christ. 28 Here, there is no longer any difference between Jew or Greek, or between slave or freed, or between man and woman: but all of you are one, in Christ Jesus. 29 And because you belong to Christ, you are of Abraham’s race and you are to inherit God’s promise.
The Pharisee who Jesus said prayed thanking God that he was not like other men, not a murderer nor a thief nor this or that wicked thing. That Pharisee relied on his descent from Abraham as one of the chosen people of God and that was, in his mind, his ticket to eternal life with God. The Pharisee was one of the elect according to his own reckoning. He was born into the right people and was a religious man who observed the laws and rules that his people had received from Moses and Moses had heard the law from God himself so what could be better and more sure as a pathway to heaven than that! But Jesus' point in telling the story of that Pharisee was that the Pharisee being of "the elect" and proclaiming himself to be of the elect and thanking God for his election was all wrong his descent and proud knowledge of his election was all to no avail. The man that God justifies is the one who humbly admits his fault and prays for mercy from God. That is the contrast between the right and the wrong use of the law. The Pharisee knew the law and thought he was safe because he was elect and obeyed the rules about tithing and not killing etcetera and he was wrong because he had no humility and no repentance for the wicked things he thought and did and especially for his pride in prayer. The publican on the other hand knew the law but didn't appeal to his tithing practise nor to his obedience regarding the commandments no, he made his appeal by saying "I am a sinner, have mercy on me Lord, I do not deserve it, but have mercy on me, a sinner" he had humility and a better appreciation of who and what he was and because of that God heard him and had mercy on him. Jesus told several parables about mercy to illustrate what it meant in practical terms. The master who forgave great debt, the prodigal, the good Samaritan are all stories about mercy. It is mercy and justice that God wants, mercy towards the repentant and justice for those who are wronged; like the widow who entreated the judge day in and day out until she received justice. Anyway the idea is that Justification comes from God by means of repentance and mercy shown to others and humility before God. There's no room for pride and boasting about being elect when facing God there is only room for humble penitence and a cry for mercy. The faithful are justified by God who makes them just and teaches them repentance and compassion and to show mercy. In the old testament God said that what he requires of the faithful is to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
