We locate the now time as the days since Christ died. Christ’s death was not because of law. The show of righteousness was intended to liberate, not condemn. The righteousness takes guilty people and declares them acquitted without reference to Law and in declaration of love.

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Romans 3:21

The expectation that all things would continue out of loyalty to the patriarchs and to Moses was not realistic. People who scoffed at John the Baptist learned pretty quickly that he was not a sidehow. When asked about who he was he did not waver. People’s interest in the expected king was not misplaced because John was about to tell the crowds that Messiah was a lamb. With the appearance of John (Jesus’s messenger) the law and the prophets are out of business.

Fear all of you not me? says the LORD: will all of you not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

Jeremiah 5:22

But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.

Jeremiah 5:23

If righteousness is determined by Mosaic Law then Christ died in vain.