When he had concluded his instruction, Jesus scanned the crowd with his all-seeing and penetrating eye, told them they had received the same teachings as his Old World disciples, and reminded them of the holy promise for obedience—“him will I raise up at the last day.” Perceptively, like all great teachers, he noted individual questions, which centered on the religious system that had been in operation for the last several centuries.
The old law that all the branches of the house of Israel had been living, the law given to Moses centuries earlier by this same Person—known as Jehovah back then but called Jesus in mortality—was now fulfilled, completed, ended (also 3 Nephi 9:16–17). The elaborate system of performances and ordinances, of types, signs, and shadows of his coming, was now fulfilled when he actually came. He was teaching them a higher law, as illustrated in the Sermon at the Temple. The law of Moses could not provide salvation; only the atonement, or redemption, of Jesus Christ can save and exalt (Mosiah 13:27–32).
The Savior makes a distinction between the law and the covenant. The law given to Moses was fulfilled and ended, but the great covenant was still in force and indeed always would be. It is an everlasting covenant, given originally to Adam and Eve and perpetuated by righteous patriarchs and prophets through all generations. The covenant, always part of the gospel of Jesus Christ, was on the earth from the beginning, with Adam and Eve.57 It was renewed with Enoch (Genesis 6:18, footnote a, from JST, Genesis 8:23; 9:9, footnote a, from JST, Genesis 9:15; 9:11, footnote c, from JST, Genesis 9:17; JST, Genesis 9:21–24, in Bible appendix; Moses 7:51–69; 8:2), Noah (Genesis 6:18; 9:9), and Abraham (Abraham 2:9–11). It was included in the law given to Moses, but unlike the ritual laws given through Moses, the covenant was not later discontinued. The covenant consisted of all the commandments plus the promises and responsibilities of a covenant people.