Being good and being saved are two different things. Yes, people can be good apart from God, but not saved.
And here we go again.
It is just this intrusion of the alien notion of "salvation" that has helped derail the idea of G-d's ultimate statutory authority. Everything is seen in light of "going to Heaven," whether goodness is necessary (as Catholics and Orthodox teach) or whether it is a "sign of salvation" (as many Protestants believe).
G-d could have created us as spirit beings in Heaven like the angels but chose not to. He could have not given us freewill but chose to do so. He could have not given us a list of commandments, but He chose to do so.
We were created by G-d in this world, not so much to "go to Heaven," but to transform it by keeping His Commandments on His Authority. When it comes to this, chrstianity hasn't been so conservative after all.
Please don't quote the "new testament" to "prove" anything to me. I do not accept it, and the very point of issue is whether it is from G-d (chas vechalilah!).