What did Paul think of the law, the temple, and the Old Testament before he was saved?

Before salvation, Paul, as a religious Jew par excellence, was a law-keeping zealot and great practitioner of Judaism. He regarded the law, the temple, and the Old Testament as the epitome of everything, even killing people who accepted anything contrary to that.

Les explains that Paul’s past was that of a religious Jew par excellence, a law-keeping Jew and religious zealot. He had been a great practitioner of Judaism and thought the law, the temple, and the Old Testament were the epitome of everything. He even killed people because they accepted something contrary to that. But he suddenly realized all of it counted for nothing, because the work of the cross had become preeminent and it is only through faith in the finished work of the cross that sinners can be saved. So if he rebuilt what he had torn down by putting converts back under the law, he would make himself a transgressor.

Galatians 2:18

For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

Who was Paul before his conversion according to this teaching?

Before conversion, Paul was a religious Jew par excellence, a law-keeping Jew and a religious zealot. He was a great practitioner of Judaism who thought the law, temple, and Old Testament were the epitome of everything, and he killed people who accepted something contrary to that.