Luke 16:16

The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presses into it.
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Clement Of Alexandria

AD 215
This, then, is the type of "the law and the prophets which were until John; "

Cyril of Alexandria

AD 444
He says that the kingdom of heaven is preached. The Baptist stood in the middle saying, “Prepare the way of the Lord.” He has also shown that he is already near and, as it were, within the doors, even the true Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world. Whoever hears and loves the sacred message takes it by force. This means that he uses all his eagerness and strength in his desire to enter within the hope. He says in another place, “The kingdom of heaven is taken by violence, and the violent seize upon it.” Commentary on Luke, Homily

Cyril of Alexandria

AD 444
He says that Moses and the company of the holy prophets announced beforehand the meaning of my mystery to the inhabitants of earth. The law declares by shadows and types that I should even endure the death of the flesh to save the world and by rising from the dead abolish corruption. The prophets also spoke words meaning the same as the writings of Moses. He says, “It is not strange or not known before, that you reject my words and despise everything that would benefit you. The word of prophecy concerning you and me extends until the holy Baptist John. From the days of John, the kingdom of heaven is preached, and everyone takes it by force.” The kingdom of heaven here means justification by faith, the washing away of sin by holy baptism, and sanctification by the Spirit. It also means worshiping in the Spirit, the service that is superior to shadows and types, the honor of the adoption of children, and the hope of the glory about to be given to the saints. Commentary on Luke, Homily

Ephrem The Syrian

AD 373
The Law and the Prophets reached as far as John did, but the Messiah is the beginning of the New Testament. Through baptism, the Lord assumed the justice of the Old Testament in order to receive the perfection of the anointing and to give it in its fullness and entirety to his disciples. He ended John’s baptism and the law at the same time. He was baptized in justice, because he was sinless, but he baptized in grace because all others were sinners. Through his justice, he dispensed from the law, and through his baptism, he abolished baptism [of John]. Commentary on Tatian’s Diatessaron

George Leo Haydock

AD 1849
The law and the prophets Not that the law was made void by the coming of John , but that what the law and the prophets had taught, had been suited to the very imperfect dispositions of the Jews, who as yet were incapable of relishing perfect virtue. At the coming of John, the gospel began to be preached, and this called men to a life of perfect sanctity. (St. Thomas Aquinas) Our Saviour came not to destroy, but to fulfil the law and the prophets. (Matthew v. 17.)

Irenaeus of Lyons

AD 202
Since, then, the law originated with Moses, it terminated with John as a necessary consequence. Christ had come to fulfil it: wherefore "the law and the prophets were "with them "until John."

Tertullian of Carthage

AD 220
The Creator promised that old things would pass away because he said that new things were to arise. Christ marked the date of that passing, saying, “The law and the prophets were until John.” He set up John as a boundary stone between the one order and the other, of old things thereafter coming to an end, and new things beginning. The apostle necessarily, in Christ revealed after John, also invalidates the old things while validating the new. His concern is for the faith of no other god than the Creator under whose authority it was even prophesied that the old things were to pass away.

Tertullian of Carthage

AD 220
In short, if this is not so, let the Jews exhibit, subsequently to Christ, any volumes of prophets, visible miracles wrought by any angels, (such as those) which in bygone days the patriarchs saw until the advent of Christ, who is now come; since which event "sealed is vision and prophecy "that is, confirmed. And justly does the evangelist. And thus, the former gifts of grace being withdrawn, "the law and the prophets were until John". He continued his pupillage up to the time of John, and then proceeded forthwith to announce the kingdom of God, saying: "The law and the prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of God is proclaimed.". to be superseded by a new course of things which should arise, whilst Christ marks the period of the separation when He says, "The law and the prophets were until John". that so it might prove true that "the law and the prophets were until John.". According to the apostle; and "the law and the prophets (were) until John". And that these are no...

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation - 2 Peter 1:20

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