To wit, the three laws are actually a formulation of three laws of tool design: a tool must not harm its user; a tool must be fit for purpose and do what the user wishes, as long as that doesn't harm the user; and a tool should be sturdy and reusable so long as that doesn't interfere with the tool's safety or usability.

These design principles make sense when you are talking about a non-sentient object, but intelligent, adaptable beings cannot be so easily constrained.