I think you miss the point. God didn't set the bar high out of cruel disdain---if you think this is the case, then you haven't studied your Bible very well. He set the bar high simply to show us our own inability and weakness---something we sinful, prideful humans tend to often be in denial about---and then sent Jesus to do what we could never do.
I think the story of the prodigal son in the New Testament is the perfect illustration of the heart of God. Basically, when we rebel, as the younger son did, God, as our father, says, ok, have your way, I won't stop you. He then lets the natural consequences of our sin be our punishment, until we finally come to our senses and realize we actually need Him. When we realize this, and come rushing to Him in humility and repentance, He doesn't cast us out and say, well, too bad, you didn't measure up---He welcomes us with open arms.
You see, what God is really after is relationship, and it's our sin that gets in the way of that relationship. So, in a "tough love," so to speak, God has to show us how weak and sinful we really are in order that we might finally turn to Him to help us deal with that sin. Story after story after story in the Bible illustrates this.