the "sinful woman"

[XtattiK]

Had some interesting discussion over breakfast this morning, as i arrived just in time to interrupt the tail end of my aunt's quiet time (oops). She had just read part of Luke 7, "Jesus Annointed by a Sinful Woman"

I'm sure we're all familiar with it, but i'll post it anyway...

36Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."

40Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.

41"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[d] and the other fifty. 42Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

43Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

44Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

48Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

49The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

50Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

The question she posed was "Why is this woman even alive? Surely the law stated that an adulterer was to be stoned to death (as we see occurring during the "let he who is without sin cast the first stone..." account)? If that's the case, and as the Pharisee seems to know she is a sinful woman (v 39), why hasn't that been carried out?

Someone with a bit more knowledge on Jewish law want to help out here? Because i think it's an interesting question, to which I don't currently have an answer...