Why did the rich young ruler fail to follow Jesus?

• A. He loved the things he owned more than he loved Jesus
• B. He lacked faith
• C. He loved the law too much
• D. He was afraid of what others would think

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is that Jesus calls people to trust Him above everything, including their own sense of righteousness built by following the law. In this story, the young man says he has kept the commandments since youth, which shows he places his own law-keeping and moral standing before him as the path to life. When Jesus then asks him to sell all he has and follow Him, the request would require him to surrender his security and trust Jesus above the law and his riches. Going away sad reveals that his attachment to the law and his own righteousness was the bigger barrier to following Jesus. That’s why, in this context, the reason given is that he loved the law too much. The other options don’t fit as well because the issue isn’t a lack of faith, a fear of others, or simply loving possessions more than Jesus—it's his excessive regard for the law and self-righteousness that keeps him from surrendering.