Jesus said if you will enter into life, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17).
This was said not as a point in how we cannot keep God's commands, but it was said as a part of forsaking things within possessing everlasting life. Just read the end of the chapter. The disciples were able to do this. They forsaked all to follow Jesus.
Then we read in Luke 19:1-10 about Zacchaeus. When he said to Jesus that he was willing to give away half of his goods, Jesus said salvation had come to his house.
Jesus said if you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15). So obviously Jesus wants us to keep His commandments as a part of loving Him. In fact, Jesus says that by keeping His commandments we will abide in His love (John 15:10). Do you keep His commandments and abide in His love? Could not teaching this to others or promoting these words of Jesus be taken as legalism? Granted, we are not saved by Law Alone. We are initially and ultimately saved by God's grace. But after coming to God's grace, His grace is not a license to sin. We actually do have to be servants to Jesus Christ and not servants to ourselves and or our sin (on some level). For when I hear the phrase "legalism" or a "to do list" as being wrong, basically they are disagreeing with one half of what the Bible actually teaches because God has many commands for us to obey as a part of eternal life.
14 "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie" (Revelation 22:14-15).