Christ's Righteousness Exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees

Matthew 5:17-20 (ESV)
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. [18] For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. [19] Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. [20] For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

“Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Today when you talk to people about getting into heaven you get the impression that Hitler set the bar. As long as you are better than him, somehow avoid being Manson, you can enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus looks at the Pharisees and the Scribes and notes that if you are trying to get into the kingdom of heaven your righteousness has to exceed theirs. This should have caused not a small amount of consternation among people. Pharisees and Scribes were those known for being exceedingly righteous, exceedingly good people. These people get a bad rap today, even by those that emulate them. But in their day they were as highly thought of as Baptists in Dry County, or the Blue Blood Mormons you claim make such great neighbors. (Which I always take to mean, people you don’t want to invite over for dinner, but you like the fact they keep their lawn mowed, and don’t throw beer cans in your yard, other than that they are insufferable.)
Hitler didn’t set the bar. Christ did. If you want to get into heaven you have to be as righteous or more righteous than Christ. That man you call a good teacher, and even so fail to recognize as God. Christ set the bar, so by your own works you are toast. On your own you are toast.
But that is the nice thing about Jesus. Not only does Jesus set the bar when it comes to righteousness required for entry into heaven. He also shares his righteousness with you so that you do not have to rely on your own righteousness that could never work. Rather, Christ gives you his righteousness, a righteousness that exceeds that of scribes and Pharisees.