The Torah or the Old Testament is the sacred writings of God spoken to the Jewish people. The Jews believe in 613 commands called “mitzot”. These commands must be kept in order to get into heaven. By and large most Jewish people follow these mitzot. This belief boils down to doing enough good deeds to sway the balance. Heaven or Hell. The rich young ruler asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” He thought if he did the right thing or did “enough” he could be saved. Jesus asked if he kept all the commands, and the young man said he did. Jesus asked him to sell everything he owned, give it to the poor and follow him. Jesus cut him to the heart and the rich man turned away, holding on to the riches of this world. Jesus also rebuked the Pharisees by saying,
“And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard Him or seen His form. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom he has sent, you do not believe. You search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they that testify of Me.”
John 5:37-39 NKJ
He was illuminating the fact that the Jews were blinded by the letter of the law. They did not have what Abraham had in him, the word. What word? The gospel- “You shall have a son... The Seed of Abraham”. God in human form was standing right in front of them. All they had to do was believe. Philip asked Jesus, “Show us the Father!” Jesus replied, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father”. Jesus was the living Torah, given to God’s people. The Jews you encounter today hold similar feelings in the divine importance of the written word.