“Paul is showing that religious people need the gospel as much as unreligious people; and that religious people run from the gospel as much as unreligious people. The heart of the gospel is that God’s righteousness has been revealed, so that it can be received (Romans 1:16,17 ESV). When we rely on anything or anyone but Jesus to give us righteousness, we are refusing to accept the gospel. Relying on God’s rules is as much self-reliance as ignoring God’s rules.”
Tim Keller