sRGB and L* companding (inverse companding to XYZ) are such that values below a certain value are at a different curve than those above. This prevents lower values coming too close to zero. sRGB is, more-or-less, at a gamma of ≈2.2, but you'll notice 2.4 is actually used for the upper portion of the curve.
The κ and ϵ constants are given by CIE standards used to calculate values above or below the junction point of the two sets of L* companding functions below. Before 2004, approximations were used such that κ = 903.3 and ϵ = 0.008856.
M = 3x3 RGB to XYZ transformation matrix based on color space and standard illuminant reference white. This transformation matrix is an inverse of the XYZ to RGB transformation matrix.