With this phrase Paul makes it clear that the Mosaic covenant was not meant to be permanent.1 It was put in place until the time when the offspring, who is Christ, had come. Implicit in this statement is the idea that the law was meant to prepare God’s people/point them forward to Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:22, Galatians 3:24).2
19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.