I think we need to understand a principle in fiqh, and it's that if something is not specific, it's general. The Prophet sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam did not specify that hadeeth for his time, or his generation, or any specific time at all! Rather the hadeeth is general! There is no evidence from other ahaadeeth, or ayaat that this ruling was for a specific time either. So then how can we use our intellects to abrogate this ruling then? Especially when we have no knowledge!

It is reported upon 'Ali ibn Abu Talib (radhiyAllaahu 'anhu) that he said:

"If the religion was based on the intellect, then the bottom of the leather sock would be more deserving to be wiped than the top."

Reported by Aboo Daawood (162), this narration was declared authentic by shaykh al-Albaanee in al-Irwaa (103).

It is not for us to question or try to rationalise a command from Allaah and His Messenger. Rather, it is befitting that the believers say, 'We hear, and we obey!'

The fatwa that I linked to is more than sufficient, as it is by a modern day scholar, who is still alive, hafidhahullaah. Alhamdulillah he has refuted a lot of misconceptions.