In legalistic religion, the individual is absorbed into the system and loses identity and self esteem.
Legalism is the mortal enemy of healthy self esteem.
Peace with God is a gift and not a work of law. Legalism denies the love and power of God in Jesus in the Gospels. Look what I have done. Legalism emphasizes the externals and becomes preoccupied with trivia. Legalism makes things other than God absolute.