Audio commentary on this verse

Note 7 at Rom. 7:14: This is why the law could not produce life for us. It is because the law is spiritual, but we are carnal. Another way of saying this is, the law is perfect, but we aren't. If we could have lived up to every detail of the law, then we could have obtained salvation through it. But all have sinned and come short of God's perfect standard (Rom. 3:23). All except for one, and that is Jesus.

The law did provide life for one man, the man Christ Jesus, because He was the only man who was ever perfect. Jesus was without any sin whatsoever and therefore He deserved eternal life as a payment, not a gift. Those who put their faith in Jesus as their Savior, benefit from His keeping of the law (Rom. 8:4).