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The feminine direct object pronoun 'la' can mean 'her' or some other noun that is feminine, so there is sometimes a need to clarify the reference by adding the direct object 'a ella'. When 'querer' is used with a person as its object, the translation is 'love'. When 'querer' is used with a thing, the translation is 'want'.
In your case, both sentences mean 'I love her'. The direct object wasn't stated in the second case because it was obvious to those involved in the conversation that 'la' meant 'her' and not 'it'.
You must add the direct object when the meaning would otherwise be ambiguous. This occurs in the third person only. There's no confusion in the other persons.
By the way, there's no need to specify the subject pronoun 'yo' because the verb ending conveys that information.
So, if the conversationalists have already established that they're talking about a girl, "La quiero" is all that is needed to say, "I love her."
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