Approached by a man who wants him to act as arbiter between himself and his brother, Jesus points out the futility of a life spent in amassing material possessions. In the parable, the rich man is not censured because of his wealth. Nor is he criticised for not attending to the needs of those less fortunate than he. His foolishness is much deeper; it is the attitude of greed that underlies his actions. Such an attitude determines how he values his wealth and what he will do with it. The man’s death is not a punishment for his greed. It is simply the end of his life of excess. Jesus draws out the moral of his story: It is foolish to devote one’s life to the amassing of goods and to be bereft in what matters to God.