Oh right, because laws are ironclad codifications of pure, unadulterated Justice, and that's exactly why you can be imprisoned for collecting rainwater on your property: http://cnsnews.com/news/article/oregon-man-sentenced-30-days...

In reality, the correct way to interpret laws is to think about their real purpose. Who benefits? What is the goal here?

The vast majority of laws have one of these two purposes: to enrich the government's cronies, or to cement the government's continued rule.