They were the core of Judaism. For Sadducees, they alone were scripture in any real sense. Pharisees and others added on new books as scripture but even then they were less important than the Torah.
Scholars like Robin Lane Fox and Israel Finkelstein argue that much of the Torah, the priestly codes, and the concept of Judaism as a codified, text-centered religion crystallized during and after the exile. Earlier periods (Mosaic or monarchical) likely had less centralized, more fluid religious practice.
In a very real historical sense, what we now recognize as Judaism formed during and after the Babylonian exile (6th–5th centuries BCE), not in the earlier Mosaic or monarchical periods - despite the biblical narrative. Like Roman Catholicism, this faith is younger than it claims
“Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.’” — 2 Kings 22:8 (NIV)
Scholars widely consider it a retrojection: the text was likely “found” or even written during Josiah’s reforms (7th century BCE) to centralize worship in Jerusalem. This finding like the Book of Mormon one, was a ruse. Both books were fabrications.
Hilkiah clearly meant the first five books of the Bible as we now have them. There is no need to take the Book of the Law to mean anything else.
The books show signs of being reworked and interfered in a way that is consistent with that time.
Jesus asserted that Moses literally authorised the Book of the Law. A prophet who can't get the past right, is hardly reliable about the future or God's will either.
APPENDIX-
There is a substantial body of scholarly evidence suggesting that the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) was largely compiled, edited, and in some parts rewritten during and after the Babylonian exile (6th–5th centuries BCE). Here are the main lines of evidence:
1. Linguistic and stylistic evidence
The Hebrew of the Torah shows later linguistic forms (Biblical Hebrew of the exilic/post-exilic period) in many sections.
Some passages are in older archaic Hebrew, while others reflect later vocabulary, grammar, and style.
This suggests a long process of composition, with final editing happening after the exile.
Example: The Priestly (P) source, with its focus on ritual law and temple worship, uses a more formal, structured style associated with post-exilic priestly circles.
2. Doublets and contradictions
The Torah contains repeated stories with different details, e.g., two creation accounts in Genesis (Gen 1 vs. Gen 2), two flood narratives (Genesis 6–9).
These doublets indicate compilation from multiple earlier sources.
The combination of sources was likely finalized during or after the exile when scribes sought to unify diverse traditions.
3. Priestly and Deuteronomic reforms
Historical records show that Josiah’s reform (late 7th century BCE) involved centralizing worship in Jerusalem and “finding the Book of the Law.”
Scholars suggest this “discovery” reflects an edited text created or compiled at that time, likely from older legal and prophetic traditions.
The Deuteronomic code (Deuteronomy 12–26) appears ideologically aligned with Josiah’s reform, pointing to an exilic or pre-exilic compilation context.
4. Exilic concerns reflected in content
Certain Torah laws and narratives make sense only after the destruction of the Temple and the exile:
Emphasis on synagogue-style study and portable law, rather than central sacrifices.
Focus on ritual purity, dietary laws, and circumcision—practices that helped preserve community identity in exile.
These suggest editing or redaction to address the needs of a displaced community.
5. Textual parallels with Babylonian literature
Stories like the Flood, Creation, and certain laws have parallels in Mesopotamian literature (e.g., Atrahasis, Enuma Elish, Code of Hammurabi).
The timing of these literary borrowings or adaptations points to composition or editing during the exile, when Jews were in Babylonian intellectual and cultural orbit.
6. Scribal and editorial markers
Scholars identify distinct source strands in the Torah:
J (Yahwist) – pre-exilic, southern Israel
E (Elohist) – pre-exilic, northern Israel
D (Deuteronomist) – 7th century BCE, likely associated with Josiah’s reforms
P (Priestly) – exilic/post-exilic priestly editing
The final Torah is a synthesis of these sources, edited and redacted in the exilic period.
In short:
While the Torah contains traditions that are older, its final form was likely
compiled and edited during and after the Babylonian exile, to provide a coherent
national-religious identity for the Jewish people returning from exile.