Matthew 5:17-18 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
What does fulfill mean? The word as translated from the Greek means: 'to make full, to fill full, to fulfill.'.
How did Christ fulfill the law?
Fill full = complete.
Christ came to bring to an end the animal sacrifices and temple
rituals. The animal sacrifices and other temple rituals were brought to
completion through the sacrifice of Christ.
Hebrews 10:5-12 "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;"
With Christ serving as High Priest in heaven making intercession for sin, the earthly priesthood was brought to completion. Now each believer acts as a temple for God's holy spirit.
Fulfill = do, carry out.
Christ revealed the full meanings behind the laws of God by preaching the gospel
in order to bring the knowledge of salvation through the obedience of the
commandments, not only by the letter, but in the spirit of the law. Christ fulfilled the law by bringing it to its full meaning and
intent. He magnified the laws and commandments of God, and made clear the
spiritual aspects of the law.
"Fulfill" - fill to the full - does not mean eliminate or cancel.
If Christ had come to abolish the law he would not have magnified its meaning
and intent. The truth is if we love the Lord and Christ we will desire to keep
his commandments.