First of all Moses and Aaron were to perform the "staff becoming a snake" miracle. This presumably had worked with the Israelites in convincing them, but it did work with Pharaoh. Pharaoh's wise men were able to do the same miracle, though Moses' snake ate up all theirs.
Jesus often rebuked the people, especially the religious leaders, for demanding a sign (Matt 12:39). If a person's heart is hard, then demanding a sign is only an excuse to continue in unbelief, and a sign will actually make no difference. It did not with Pharaoh, did not with the religious leaders in Jesus' day, and will not today. Now this is definitely not to say that miracles should not happen, they should. It is to say that we need to disabuse ourselves of any notion that if only people could see a miracle they would believe. If their heart is hard then they will not believe, if there heart is open then the miracle can be a key to opening their heart.
Now comes the first of the plagues. These plagues are designed to demonstrate beyond all doubt to Pharaoh who the Lord is. The first plague changed all the water into blood. However, Pharaoh was unmoved, and his magicians could repeat this miracle.
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