Why was the Law a burden to people?
The Law was a burden because it demanded perfect obedience but gave no help to perform it, exposing man's inability. Its severe penalties, even death for violations, condemned everyone as guilty lawbreakers and sinners, making it an unbearable yoke until the work of the cross set people free.
Les teaches that Peter admitted the Law was a yoke, like a millstone around people's throat, because of its heavy demand and man's inability to keep it, and it had nothing to help him do it. Les points out the Law was severe: picking up sticks on the Sabbath brought death, and immorality brought death. The Law condemns people, showing they are guilty and lost; as Les quotes, you can never be saved until you know you're lost. Without the Law, anyone could claim to be good enough, but the Law says guilty. All have broken the Ten Commandments, making them lawbreakers and sinners. Yet Les explains that we have been set free from all of that because of the work of the cross.