The Thesis of the Sermon on the Mount

Many people will identify this as the thesis of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus says, do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. The idea that there is some continuity between the Old Testament and the New Testament, Jesus puts that to rest. He goes on to talk about the fact that the righteousness he's going to teach is going to involve in a way surpassingrighteousness.