What did martin luther king jr. Mean when he said that judicial decrees may not change the heart

"Justice decree may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless" these words by Martin Luther King Jr. reflects the conditions prevalent at the time in the United States. These words were used to signify the relevance of the Judicial decision in the fight for civil rights. He accepted that these decrees would not install morality. But the scope of regulating the behavior would be widened. He stressed the role of legislative orders and judicial decrees to support African Americans against the prejudice and violence, they were facing.