Prophecy fulfillment happens because God has already set in motion this life. He knows what is going to happen no matter what we do or say. Jesus died, not because we tailored our actions in a way that would fulfill prophecy, but rather prophecy WAS fulfilled b/c God knew what we were already going to do and we simply lived it out the way He knew it would happen. Prophecy is nothing more than a man, speaking forth divine knowledge that he (man) has recieved from God.

It's difficult to wrap our minds around the idea that God knows what we are going to do, AND the fact that we still have Free Will.

So we are still to blame for crucifying Jesus, it doesn't remove our guilt in actions when we do what God says we are going to do. It only demonstrates his omniscience that He knows what will happen based on our decisions. Someone once explained free will to me as spokes on a wheel. There are many decisions I can make radiating outward. God knows the outcome of every possible decision I could make before I make it and He knows which one I will choose and why. But just because He knows, does not change our ability to still have a free choice to choose.

Jesus didn't neccessarily have to die, so we could learn (in that specific way you asked) but rather, we LEARNED because Jesus died. Or rather we were saved, because he died. God knew we would act in this way toward Jesus, and the Bible is filled with reasons why we acted that way towards him. We are given over to this world, and reject truth as a natural response in our sinful nature. BUT- God uses bad outcomes, to still bring about radical glory. I think of the story of Joseph and his words to his brothers who sold him into slavery. When he saw his brothers again years later, he was now in a high position in Egypt, and he said to them-- You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives of many. God took a bad situation and turned it into a great outcome based on the sinful actions of Josephs brothers.

I think your question is an excellent one!