Meaning of hydrogen bonds for life
Water is (almost) everywhere on earth in copious amounts. It is liquid at earth conditions (H-bridges!). It's rather non-toxic (or organisms were able to evolve to tolerate water well). It is a good solvent for the molecules involved in energy metabolism and biostructure ana- and catabolism. Water has neutral pH, it happily donates and accepts protons which makes it ideal for participation in metabolism.

I'd broaden the question, asking for other molecules that could support life as we know it in a similar way like water does it and also check other liquid molecules which are available in large quantities in the universe (e.g. ammonia, nitrogen, hydrogen) if they could support other forms of life that depend on analogous chemical processes, or even go beyond that (silicon- and aluminum oxides, etc.)