‘And he spoke also this parable to certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at nought,'
The people described here are in direct contrast with those who will have faith on earth, or who will be the believing ones, when He comes (Luke 18:8). They were confident in their own righteousness, and considered all others as less righteous than they. They based that belief on their fulfilment of the requirements of the Law in accordance with their own traditions, which placed an emphasis on the outward aspects of it. They overlooked what was central to the Law, the love of God and neighbour. But worse still they set at nought and treated with contempt those who did not follow their ways. And so that none might be in any doubt who were mainly in mind He told a parable in order to illustrate His comment.