what is probably the greatest check or limit that congress has against the power of the president/executive branch?

The system of checks and balances in government was developed to ensure that no one branch of government would become too powerful. The framers of the U.S. Constitution built a system that divides power between the three branches of the U.S. government—legislative, executive and judicial—and includes various limits and controls on the powers of each branch.

more people will not obey the law or vice vice versa

explanation: the answer really speaks for itself if the number of prisoners are going up then that means that more people will not obey the law and if less people are going to prison then that means that more people are obeying the law.