When Christ said “you have been told, and then “but I tell you”, did he mean to explain the Torah or was He was making new laws?
God's main, or primary attribute is that He is righteous. This is displayed by the Law. But God has other attributes that He would like to exercise - like mercy and longsuffering. If God applies the Law all men are lost (see Romans Chapter 7). So God sends His Son Jesus to deal with the thing that separates men from God - sin and sins. Then, God, having set aside sin and sins, must give TIME for men to reconsider and be reconciled to Him. So the New Testament age is an age of "DEFERRED JUDGMENT". That means that God will allow some time to pass for men to come to the knowledge of what Jesus has done. He does not wink at evil, but He sets aside judgement for a time. And His disciples, having been made "ministers of reconciliation" (2nd Cor.5:18-19), must represent this, and exercise it.
So for the New Testament age, the Christian ONLY (NOT the Jew NOR the Gentile), is made subject to new and different governing principles. The Jew must stick to his Law and demand
"an eye for and eye, and a life for a life". The Gentile is still subject to the Covenant of the Rainbow, and must seek the death penalty for murder (Gen.9:17). But the Christian must follow his Master and
"turn the other cheek". Does God forget this blow to the Christian? NO! In Matthew 25:31-46 what was
"done to the least of His brethren" will meet with recompense and retribution - BUT ONLY WHEN CHRIST COMES!
Then, when our Lord Jesus has COME again, He reverts to
"the rule of the Rod of Iron" (Rev.19:15). That is, criminals and offenders will again meet with immediate and commensurate justice.