Jesus raises the bar

Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won’t know the first thing about entering the kingdom. - Matt 5 v 20

There is a perception that grace is easy. But it is anything but. Jesus never lowered the bar for his followers he just raised it.

Although he criticised the Pharisees often. He didn't have a bone to pick with them because the kept the rules. He had a problem with them because:

1) The pretended to keep the rules.
2) The told others to keep the rules whilst they didn't.

In the verses following he raised the bar for his followers:

Do not murder - do not get angry
Do not commit adultery - do not lust in your heart
Grace is not a loophole it is a ladder.