Did the Law of Moses have any power to help people stop sinning?
No. The Mosaic Law had no power to help mankind keep the Law or stop sinning. It could not keep a man from stealing, committing adultery, and such sins. From mankind’s perspective it was faulty because man could not keep it; all it could do was condemn him.
Les explains from Hebrews 8:7 that the first covenant, the Law of Moses, was not faultless from mankind’s perspective. He says it was perfect from God’s perspective, but not from man’s, because man could not keep it. Les emphasizes that the Law had no power to help mankind keep the Law, and absolutely no power to keep a man from stealing, committing adultery, and similar sins. All it could do was condemn him. He contrasts this with Romans 8 and living under the Law of the Spirit, where the Spirit indwells believers, as seen in 1 Corinthians 3 and 6.