Luke 16:17

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tittle of the law to fail.

This statement of Jesus has in view the changing and perversion of God's law by the Pharisees, who had perverted the moral requirements of it (as in the case of easy divorce, mentioned a moment later) in many ways, even seeking to change the nature of the kingdom God had promised to set up. They wanted an earthly kingdom, a Messiah on a white horse who would throw out the Romans! Jesus here reminded them that not one of the tiniest provisions of God's law would be waived in favor of their materialistic views.

Tittle ... "The tittle, `little horn,' was a small projection, or hook, that distinguished one Hebrew letter from another similar letter."[32] Jesus was saying that even down to the smallest point, the law of God would be totally maintained.

The very close and logical connection of this whole paragraph between the two great parables of this chapter is quite obvious and enlightening; and it is safe to reject such a view as that of Gilmour who said "(These are) three scattered sayings that have little or no connection with one another or with the rest of the material in this chapter."[33]

[32] Everett F. Harrison, Wycliffe Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 246.

[33] S. MacLean Gilmour, op. cit., p. 287.