The fear of the Lord isn't the same as avoiding evil but God wants those who fear him to avoid evil.

It's harder for people today to understand the fear of the Lord. God is a king with unlimited power to do whatever he wants. In biblical times the king had absolute power. He could have people tortured or killed on a whim. God isn't a tyrant but God is a king. There should be reverence in how we act with God. Anybody with sufficient wisdom should fear the consequences of sin. It's best to avoid sin because we love God. Otherwise if we avoid sin out of fear at least you're still avoiding sin.