In Galatians, Chapter 3, Paul reminded the believers that God had saved them simply as a result of their faith in Christ, and that He had done many miracles, wonders and signs to give evidence of their salvation. The works of the law had not contributed in the least to their salvation. To support this argument, he mentioned what had been a very overlooked detail of the Old Testament scriptures, that Abraham was saved by faith 430 years before the Law was ever given. He quoted from Genesis 15:

Gen 15:5-7
5 Then God brought Abraham outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."
6 And Abraham believed in the LORD, and God accounted it to him for righteousness.
7 Then God said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it." (NKJ)

Therefore, Abraham was saved by faith and received the promise of an earthly kingdom 430 years before the Law was given. At this point it was only logical for Paul to ask the question in Galatians 3:19.

Gal 3:19
19 What purpose then does the law serve? . . .

His answer:

. . . It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; (NKJ)

Paul explained that God gave the law as a tutor or guardian to watch over the nation of Israel until the coming of Christ.

When Abraham left his home in the land of the Chaldeans, God had told Abraham that He would make a great nation out of his descendants, and then, several years after Isaac was born, God told Abraham that He would bless all of the nations of the world through his seed.

Gen 22:18
18 "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." (NKJ)

Paul revealed that the seed to which God referred was Jesus Christ.

Gal 3:16-18
16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," who is Christ. (NKJ)

Israel was like a minor child who had a great inheritance but was too young to receive it. She had been promised this great earthly kingdom but was still an infant nation. Minor children are usually placed under a guardian until a time set by their father. At a certain time, set by God the Father, Jesus Christ came into the world to bring Israel to maturity through faith. Paul explained that from that time there was no further need for the guardianship of the Law.

Gal 3:21-25
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. (NKJ)

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