Paul spent so much time on the Law b/c the great misconception was that the Law saved. That was never its purpose. THe Law is a tutor revealing the great inadequacies of man to merit salvation with works. Romans 4 is a great passage proving that Abe was saved by faith alone in the past. That same truth is true in this dispensation.
The problem with having a works-based salvation in any dispensation is that no one would ever be saved. Rom. 3:10-18 & Isa. 64:6 makes it clear, the best man has to offer to God by way of works is nothing but filthy rags (do a word study in Isa. 64:6 for "filthy rags" if you want to be grossed out). The point is that no man could ever be saved by works no matter the dispensation.
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