The Law and the Prophets

In the Gospels, Jesus refers to two parts of the TaNaKh by name -- the Law and the Prophets. In one verse, Jesus also mentions the Psalms, in conjunction with the Law and the Prophets. The Psalms are included the third part of TaNaKh, the Writings. The Writings were the last group of books to be accepted but clearly the Psalms were authoritative by the time of Jesus.

The Gospel of Matthew

Chapter 5

17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished."

Chapter 7

  12   "In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.
Chapter 22

  36   "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"   37   He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.'   38   This is the greatest and first commandment.   39   And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'   40   On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
The Gospel of Luke

Chapter 16

  16    "The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force.
  17   But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be dropped.
Chapter 24

  44   Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you--that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled."

All biblical quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.