English summary: Were there any potential law critical motives in Jewish texts from which Paul could pursue linguistically and factually? Ines Pollmann examines this and makes the origin of Pauline law criticism historically plausible. In four texts such motives become manifest but they are usually rejected: the repression of the law in Ant. 4.145-149, the impossible fulfilment of the law in 4Esra 8.20-36, the spiritualisation of ritual laws...