Paul"s question, that often marks a new argument in Romans , introduced his concluding summary that he couched in terminology suggestive of a foot race. Israel struggled hard to obtain the prize of righteousness, the righteousness God requires for acceptance by Him, but crossed the finish line behind Gentiles who were not running that hard. Israel as a whole hoped to gain righteousness by doing good works, but believing Gentiles obtained the prize by believing the gospel. Again, the contrast between law and faith recurs. [source][source][source]
"Hardly a passage in the New Testament is stronger than this one in its exposure of the futility of works as a means of justification." [1][source]