Romans 9:30,31

What shall we say, then? Up to this point in chapter 9, Paul has looked at the problem of Jewish unbelief, and shown us that no one has any claim on God to put him under obligation. Now in these last few verses, he shows it was their own guilt which cut them off from God. That the Gentiles. They knew nothing about the Law and its demands. It is a paradox that they did not try to put themselves right with God, yet were put right with him through faith. But the Jews, chosen people, who did have the Law, and tried to bring God to themselves with it, failed to do so. The argument between Paul and the Jews is: "being put right with God - what is it, and how can you receive it?"