What does the story of Adam and Eve explain to us?

The story of Adam and Eve explains the existence of evil in the world. God wanted the couple to know only the good, because the knowledge of evil would be fatal to Adam and Eve. The reason was that human beings were created in the image of God, but weren't divine.

It also explains the loving forgiveness of God. Creation disrespected and disobeyed their creator. The loss of eternal life in this world was the cost of gaining knowledge of evil through eating of the forbidden fruit. But God wasn't vindictive, because immortality was offered with the end of the earthly existence through death.