The rich young man is thinking in terms of "What must I do?" For him religion is a matter of keeping the law. He clearly knows nothing of a religion of grace: of the need for divine intervention for his salvation. Jesus tries to lead him on to a correct view of God's law, based on relationships both intra and inter-personal.

God so loved us that He gave of Himself totally in His Son. This is God's uniqueness. The essence of eternal life is not a carefully calculated keeping of the commandments, rules and regulations. Eternal life is basically a loving, generous, sacrificial relationship with ourselves and others wherever we are placed. We cannot find eternal life that is happiness, joy, satisfaction, fulfilment, peace of mind and serenity of heart by piling up a credit balance with God through keeping His law or through innumerable prayers. It can only happen when we re-produce God's unconditional love and giving to our fellow-humans.

It is therefore not enough to just to "leave all" but to "free ourselves of all" in order to belong totally to God. To follow Christ and to serve humanity, for whom the Lord gave himself totally, even His very life, are one and the same thing. The young man refused the challenge because he loved things and himself more than people. He turned his back on Christ's invitation.