Jeremiah 2

We begin to see the great wickedness that Judah had entered into in the days of Jeremiah (including Lehi) where the Lord describes how much He had done for these chosen people and how quickly they turned to their own pleasures, desires, and idol worship as athe Lord asks -

"What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
6 Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?
7 And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit."  (Old Testament | Jeremiah 2:5 - 8)

There seems to be much of the same actions today by many people.  How quickly men turn to the lustful desires.

Not only will we be punished for our own sins, but the Lord Himself teaches -

"Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee..."  (Old Testament | Jeremiah 2:19)

Which follows the words of Alma to his son -

"...wickedness never was happiness."  (Book of Mormon | Alma 41:10)

The Lord even adds -

"Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned."  (Old Testament | Jeremiah 2:35)

I think the word plead in this case is not begging the wicked, but presenting a plea for justice for wicked actions at the judgement bar.  Obviously, keeping the commandments is important to the Lord and to our eternal progression.