The Elite & the Elect

Paul undercuts the doctrine of the merits of the fathers, works of supererogation. This was a belief that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in particular Abraham, had been so good that they had not only done enough good works to save themselves, but had built up a treasury of merit, so that every Jew to the end of time could draw on that treasury, and no matter how bad he was, if he appealed to that treasury on judgement day he would be saved.