Jesus has a lot to say about the law to those who consider it the most important thing. First he affirms that he did not come to replace it. Then he tells the story of a wealthy man who was unable to use what the law and prophets offered to avoid Hell. Remember the audience: the Pharisees also had the law, and were deeply immersed in it. At the end, when Jesus finishes the story by saying, “Moses and the prophets have warned them, your brothers can read what they wrote,” there must have been an audible gasp. It was an insult. It was also necessary, because in his fulfillment of the law, it did nobody any good to avoid the Kingdom by continuing to attempt keeping the law on their own.