Since Jacob will acknowledge that Yahweh permits polygamy under some conditions (v. 30), he sets up his argument in this verse to make it clear that the present circumstances do not qualify for that exception. Rather, because the Nephites have special status as a remnant that Yahweh has saved from the destruction of Jerusalem, his laws are paramount for them. Logically, Jacob is establishing Yahweh as the source for restricting the practice of polygamy. Thus, “law” means only Yahweh’s law, not whatever human-made laws may prevail locally.