In Luke 16:16 the Lord says, The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. Many Christians cite this scripture as evidence that there can be no more prophets. However, in Mormon belief there are modern prophets, beginning with Joseph Smith. This does not contradict the Bible, but actually fully supports the circumstances of Jesus’ message.
It is easy to mistake this scripture as meaning that the Law of Moses and the need for prophets ended with John the Baptist. The phrase “the law and the prophets” is referring to the scriptures used by the Jews at that time; “the law” being the Torah, or five books of Moses containing the law, and “the prophets” being the prophetic books fortelling the coming of a Messiah. This represented the old covenant of God with the tribe of Israel. Jesus established a new covenant and a new organization. Hebrew prophets were replaced by apostles of Jesus Christ. The role of a New Testament apostle is the same of an Old Testament prophet, speaking in the name of God by the power of the Holy Ghost; the only difference being that now the Messiah has already come. TheMormon Church is led by twelve apostles of Jesus Christ who are accepted as prophets, seers, and revelators for Jesus Christ.
In Luke 16:16 Jesus was addressing the Pharisees, who were not accepting of Jesus because they had “the law and the prophets” to govern them. Despite the very prophecies they revered, when the Messiah came the Pharisees rejected Him in favor of tradition. The same is true of Christians that deny the gospel of Jesus Christ is restored by Joseph Smith. Instead they reject it for traditional Christianity. Luke 16:16 is not evidence that Mormonism is mistaken in its belief of prophets. Since Joseph Smith the kingdom of God is preached and everyone that seeks truth presses into it.