The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is one of Luke's most well-known parables. If you recall, the context of this chapter in Luke is dealing principally with the Pharisees' love of money. They were given over to idolatry of riches and they continually set aside the law of God whenever it suited their selfish desires. So Jesus gave this parable to destroy their assumption that wealth corresponded to God's favor and to warn them that judgment and agony in hell was coming.
