Was it a law? Or was it a ruling? In my opinion, Roe should have spurred Congress and the President to pass a law codifying it into law, so that the SCOTUS could not overturn it later on. The Democrats failed in this regard, too sure that precedent mattered. As we can see, it does not anymore.
Which is why they should have always sought to codify Roe, when Obama was sworn in they had the numbers to do it but they failed to, wanting to spend that capital in other places. That was their mistake then and you can see what havoc it brought. The GOP has always intended to have Roe overturned, the Dems refused to believe it could happen but it did all the same.
It would have forced Democrats who were in swing districts or red states to vote on it, and then they would have had to own it. They were feckless and content with hoping precedent held, but the writing was on the wall. Its protections were not solid, there were several rulings over the years that suggested that given the appropriate Court, it may be overturned.
Now, the GOP also screwed up because they had a very good thing going. Always complain about Roe and never do anything about it either. Guarantees you the Evangelical vote, which they have profited from immensely. Now, with it overturned, they are facing the consequences while the Democrats, who also did nothing, are taking every advantage they can.