Matthew / Question
Jesus says he did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them Matthew 5:17. He adds that not an iota or dot will pass from the Law until all is accomplished Matthew 5:18.
In Matthew 5:17–20, Jesus addresses how his mission relates to Israel’s Scriptures (“the law and the prophets”). He denies that he came to tear them down, and instead claims to “fulfill” them. He insists the law’s smallest details remain in force until the present world order ends and everything is brought to completion. This passage sits near the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). After announcing the blessed life and calling his followers to be a visible influence (5:1–16), Jesus anticipates a likely misunderstanding: that his message cancels Israel’s Scriptures.
Jesus places his mission in direct continuity with Israel’s Scriptures (“the law and the prophets”). Explicitly, he denies he came to destroy them and claims instead to “fulfill” them (verses 17–18).
A careful answer keeps the immediate passage, the book's argument, and the whole-Bible storyline together, so the question is answered in context instead of as a detached idea.
Start with Matthew 5:17, then read the surrounding section so the answer stays connected to the passage's flow.
17Don`t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn`t come to destroy, but to fulfill.