Law Makes Us Ready for Faith

"23But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed." (Galatians 3: 23)

The law, the ministry of condemnation and death  shuts us up:

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." (Romans 3: 19)

As a reminder, the law is a ministry of death and condemnation:

"But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious." (2 Corinthians 3: 7-11)

Now, instead of our having to die in our bodies, Christ has provided us a death through His body:

"4Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (Romans 7: 4-6)

Faith is not of works, and our flesh can only produce dead works:

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." (Romans 3: 28)

And for those who are declared righteousness, life about faith, not works:

"But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." (Galatians 3: 11)

When we realize that we have nothing to bring, that there is no good thing in our flesh:

"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." (Romans 7: 18)

and then

"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3: 3)

When we learn that we are bankrupted, dead in our trespasses (which the law affirms for us without mercy), then we are ready to receive the grace of God in Christ.