God has instituted three estates. These God has commanded not to let sin go unpunished. The first estate is that of the parents. They should exercise a strict control over their house and rule the children and the household. The second estate is that of the government. A magistrate bears the sword in order to compel the disobedient and the wayward by force to conform to the law or suffer its penalty. The third estate is that of the church. It governs by the Word. So God has protected the human race by this threefold authority against the devil, our flesh, and the world, to the end that offenses may not develop but be prevented.
Martin Luther
Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws.
Plato