Contrasting the Beggar and the Rich Man

Luke 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And
desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; Both Jesus and Abraham were eager to contrast the lives and fates of these two very different men.

One was filthy rich, the other, just filthy.
One was clothed in finery, the other, in misery.
One had a sumptuous diet, the other, a crummy one.
One banqueted, the other begged.
One died of gluttony, the other, of starvation.
One died and was buried, the other, died and was carried.
One wound up in hell's torments, the other, in Abraham's bosom.
One cried for mercy, the other found relief.
One was now tormented, the other, now comforted.
One was held in hell, the other, placed in Paradise.
One ignored the prophets, the other believed them.

It is said that there are two kinds of people in the world. Those which lump everybody into two kinds of people and those that don't. I go with the first group.

There are those who have trod the broad path, others, the narrow way.
There are those who have chosen the smoking section of eternity and those who have opted for non-smoking.
There are those who have trusted in themselves and those who trust Christ as Savior.

There is nothing sinful about linen clothing, nor is begging a virtue. Wearing purple won’t send anyone to eternal torment, neither does starvation earn Paradise. But the contrast shows character deficiency in the rich man and that his priorities kept him from conversion.