There are two checks that are always false so can be converted to (negated)
assertions to save code space and execution time.  They are:

1. The check of the str parameter, which is required to be non-NULL as per
   the original comment that it has enough space in it as calculated by
   mp_int_format_size.  And for all uses of this function str is indeed
   non-NULL.

2. The check of the base parameter, which is already required to be between
   2 and 16 (inclusive) via the assertion in mp_int_format_size.