It is refreshing that so much emphasis is now being given to Jesus' teaching about love. Let us consider each of these reasons.
Love is the only effective motivation for our actions.
Although love is commanded, it can hardly be instilled by command. A husband cannot gain or hold the love of his wife or children by command. If love is an action of the will in response to an authentic command, then it is a forced love. Compelled love is contrary to the nature of love. And if the greatest of commands cannot be fulfilled by demand, we may expect the same to be true of lesser commands.