Why do people do wrong?

Are actions wrong in and of themselves, or only contextually? In other words, is there a universal law of value, or merely situational efficacy? The codes of conduct maintained by human beings, must be considered part of the situation. It doesn't matter if they were ordained by god or not. As long as there are humans ready and willing to enforce them, or adopt them as internalized ways of being, they are "in effect," regardless of their providence.