It's exactly what Paul said.
Words mean things. "The works of the law" is a very simple thing to understand, and the context makes it even clearer.
If you wish to impart other meaning onto the text, then we simply will never agree. All of the rest of your sermonizing and html skills notwithstanding. If you can't read a verse and agree on what the words mean, there is no hope for you to understand.
SD
Yes or No, Dave...
Old Testament Law, or NOT Old Testament Law?
If Paul intended to say that some Works of the Old Testament Law do Justify a Man, he could have said so.
He was a Pharisee, fer cryin' out loud... You're not giving a Canon Lawyer of the Old Testament Church much credit for precision here when you (in effect) claim that Paul probably meant that some Works actually do Justify, and the poor silly sod just forgot to say so.
Paul was a Pharisee. He knew what the Works of the Law included: "Give charity to the poor" (Lev. 25:35, 36; Deut. 15:8), "Pay the worker his wages on time" (Deut. 24:15), "Help must be given to load man or beast when necessary" (Deut. 22:4), "It is required to love one’s neighbor as oneself" (Lev. 19:18), "The persecuted are to be rescued even if it means killing the oppressor" (Num. 27:8). And of The Law, Paul said the following: "NOT by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
It's unfortunate that Rome requires you to pretend that Paul didn't know what he was saying, but I do understand that the Council of Trent requires you to maintain this pretense.
Ultimately, it all comes down to the basics.... Roman Catholicism allows you to maintain your core personal belief: "God doesn't always get what He wants."
Where our treasure is, there will our heart be also, neh?