JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<script src="http://ajax.microsoft.com/ajax/jquery.validate/1.7/jquery.validate.js"></script>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.2/themes/ui-lightness/jquery-ui.css">
<p id='myparagraph'>His veins burned gasoline. 
    It kept his motor running but it never kept him clean.</p>

JavaScript

// Cache the selector so it only runs once
var $paragraph = $('#myparagraph');

     // Get the text and update it with the <a> tag
var newcontent = $paragraph.text().replace(/(gasoline)/,'<a href="/some/link/path">$1</a>');

     // Set the new content
$paragraph.html( newcontent );