jws... the way I see it, Jesus didn't die to sate God's wrath, God is in need of nothing.
Jesus had to die for US. We had to see the humanity of God. It was done to woo our hearts. It is the answer to the question "why do good people suffer". It was to give value to suffering. God could not partake in something that has no good. Simply by Christ suffering... our own suffering also becomes a redemptive act.
God looked down at humanity and saw the suffering he was moved by pity and decided to join himself with our suffering.