Before there could be ribosomes, proteins, etc, there had to be a way to polymerize the monomers.
That way was via polyphosphates. Thermodynamics always moves the macromolecules toward depolymerization and the monomer state. Only some mechanism that pushes the other way can create the RNA, proteins, etc that participate in life.
http://www.habitablezone.com/space/messages/539960.html
David F Mayer