Eternal life is connected only with the deity of God and has its existence only in fellowship with the life of God. When we see that Christ is made Priest forever after the power of an endless life we see an action that continues on forever with no break and no change. The law disannulled according to vs 18. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. Eternal life and the law are in stark contrast to each other.
Life causes a being to do what it was created to do.
A bird with life flies, no law makes it fly. The law on the other hand shows that life is missing. The law that forbids stealing gives proof that the life of those for whom it was made is lacking in something. Although the law may show the absence of true life it is powerless to produce that true life in an individual. It may check and restrain but it cannot inspire.