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Scrolls and wands both have a limit on the spell rolls and spell DCs that can be associated with them, depending on the level of the spell within.
This limit exists in all cases, but doesn't always apply. Scrolls and wands with spells that make attack rolls or that call for saving throws eventually reach a point where the target being subjected to the spell might as well be unassailable. However, if the spell happens to describe an effect that isn't resolved through either spell rolls or save DCs, it retains its usefulness (or at least, doesn't have its usefulness artificially taken away by the game math) no matter when in the character's career it's used. So while the designers may want players to use high-level equipment over low-level equipment, it's clearly only being sporadically applied, and in an IMO contrived fashion.
Add to that that lower level spells used at higher levels are often putting out damage that's not worth the action economy anyway, and I have to ask if this isn't insult to injury. I.e., if you want higher-level (and also more expensive) offensive consumable items to be used above lower-level consumables, you've already accomplished this by having a Scroll of 7th-level Burning Hands do more damage for how long it takes to use versus how much damage a Scroll of 1st-level Burning Hands does; you didn't need to go the extra step of guaranteeing that appropriate-level enemies can save or not be hit by it, as well. (Not to mention that for wands, continued use of a wand, even a lower-level wand, in a given day is competing for everything else you could spend Focus on, at least as of the Resonance update.)
The point is to keep them from being used on offensive spells.
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The point is to keep them from being used on offensive spells.
Okay, why is that a goal? And if it's a matter of "lots of offensive power for cheap", how is that not already resolved by lower level scrolls/wands doing lower damage and not being worthwhile for the actions spent?