This is mostly a song to develop the characters and relationship of Tevye and Golde.

​Tevye and Golde were undoubtedly a "match", an arranged marriage. They met for the first time on their wedding day.

When Tevye gets schmaltzy and asks Golde if she loves him, Golde initially rejects his question, and starts listing all the things she's done for him through the years. 

They eventually come to the conclusion that they must love each other, but it doesn't change anything.