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Jesus was an observant Jew. The Law of Moses shaped his life, regulating his spirituality, morality, calendar, and even diet. And yet, he practiced Judaism in such a way that some thought he intended to abolish that very same law.
For example, according to Matthew 12.1–14, certain Pharisees criticized Jesus for allowing his hungry disciples to pick small heads of grain on the Sabbath and for healing a man with a shriveled hand. They interpreted both actions as violations of the prohibition of work on the Sabbath. Jesus responded to their criticism by refuting their misreading of the law. But his response so angered them that they “plotted how they might kill Jesus.”
No wonder, then, Jesus felt it necessary to declare his intentions regarding the law. “Do not think,” he proclaimed, “that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matt. 5.17). What did Jesus’ words mean to his original hearers? And what do they mean to us?
To abolish the law meant to annul it or to set it aside. The Pharisees believed Jesus was annulling the Sabbath law by allowing his disciples to work on the Sabbath, or by working himself. Obviously, Jesus did not interpret his actions in the same way. He did not believe he was abolishing the law.
But what did he mean by saying that he fulfilled the law? Matthew uses the word “fulfill” sixteen times. Twelve of those times refer to how Jesus fulfilled various Old Testament prophecies (1.22; 2.15, 17, 23; 4.14; 8.17; 12.17; 13.35; 21.3; 26.54; 26.56; 27.9). That is the most likely meaning of the verb here. Jesus is saying that he fulfills Scripture (“the Law or the Prophets”). The entire Old Testament is, as it were, a prophecy about him.
Luke 24.27 makes this point explicit by relating a conversation between Jesus and two of his disciples: “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” As St. Augustine puts it, “The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed, the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed.” And Jesus is the Revealer.
But what does Matthew 5.17 mean for us? If Jesus did not abolish the Law of Moses, are we Christians required to obey it? Yes and no. I will try to explain these answers in subsequent devotionals, but for now, I want to focus on a different question: Do you read the Old Testament?
I ask this because in my experience, too many Christians ignore the Law and the Prophets, which seem to be filled with what one British writer called “bore, gore, and folklore.” And yet, if Jesus fulfills the Old Testament Scriptures, to ignore them is to ignore him. A bumper sticker proclaims, “Jesus is the answer.” But without the Old Testament, we don’t even know what the question is. Let’s read it and find out!
GeorgePWood.com 
Dear Pastor Wood: Your comments here on Matthew 5:17 are excellent, I do perceive. I also browsed your website and viewed just a couple of your many finely-produced videos. (Now I know that I don’t have to go into Youtube to see any of them.) I have a daughter and son-in-law who have meaningful worship services in different neighboring homes each and every weekend. I believe they are especially going to enjoy your tongue-in-cheek “Shallow Small Group” video (and I thank God that their meetings are in no way as depicted on that humorous-but-informative video). Just one more thing, and I’ll close with this today: When I commented to you on your very accurate take of Matthew 5:19, I meant to write that “a noticeable growing number of Pentecostal Christians” are now observing the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath, not “a few Evangelical Christians.” I hope this clarifies a little better what I meant when I erred slightly. Again, continued strength in the Lord, my godly friend. Have a good “weekend” (what’s left of it … and, if we can truly call the seventh day and the first day — coupled together — a “weekend”). Blessings ~ RFH