Spirit of the law

Luke 14:2-3 "And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;"

It is more important to understand and follow the spirit of the law than the letter of the law.

Boyd K. Packer stated the following:
"The commandments found in the scriptures, both the positive counsel and the 'shalt nots,' form the letter of the law. There is also the spirit of the law. We are responsible for both."