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The first three verses talk about Abraham’s “righteousness” before God. The Jews were proud to be called children of Abraham. Paul uses Abraham as a good example of someone who was saved by faith. By emphasizing faith, Paul is not saying that God’s laws are unimportant but that is impossible to be saved simply by obeying them. In verse four it basically states that a man’s wages are not a gift but an obligation. This verse means that if a person could earn the right to being with God by being good, the granting of that gift would not be a free act: it would be an obligation. Our self-reliance is futile; all we can do is cast ourselves into God’s mercy and grace.

Romans 4:1-3
4 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[a]