How did Jesus "fulfill" the Torah?

Messiah’s famous words about Torah declare, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill” (Mat 5:17 NASB) This verse has been explained countless times in church sermons, academic lectures, and scholarly commentaries. What can I possibly add to this ancient conversation? There are many angles from which to approach this topic, but I will focus on oneby asking a simple question: How, exactly, and in which way did Jesus “fulfill” the Torah in Matthew’s gospel?

It is common for modern followers of Jesus to imagine that there is some sort of a celestial checklist that the Messiah had to complete. Many modern Jews think this way as well. There are lists of criteria Messiah must fit. Indeed, Matthew uses the Greek verb πληρόω (plerao), “fulfill,” in what looks amazingly like a “list of messianic prophecies".