God asked this to show the rich man the foolishness of his plan. He had stored up goods for "many years" (Luke 12:19), but he would not live through the night. Everything he had "provided" would pass to someone else. Barnes calls it supreme folly to live "As though riches could prolong life, or avert for a moment the approach of pain and death." Gill notes that the man "can carry nothing with him; nor does he know whose they will be." Barnes adds, "Whose they may be is of little consequence to the man that lost his soul to gain them."

The parable ends with God's question, and the rich man gives no answer. Jesus Himself draws the lesson: "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:21). He then turns to His disciples: "Take no thought for your life" (Luke 12:22). He tells them where true treasure is kept: "a treasure in the heavens that faileth not" (Luke 12:33), "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Luke 12:34).

"Thou fool" translates the Greek aphron, which Thayer defines as "without reason" or senseless. It is the same word Jesus used for the Pharisees in Luke 11:40.

"Shall be required" translates apaitousin, literally "they require" or "they demand back." Thayer defines the verb as "to ask back, demand back, exact something due." Luke uses the same verb in Luke 6:30 for asking stolen goods back. Gill says the phrase "shows, that a man has no power over it to retain it."

Here God Himself speaks, and His question reveals how He sees a life. The rich man measured his life by what he had laid up. God measures it by whether he was "rich toward God" (Luke 12:21). Barnes describes the moment: "In a single moment all his hopes were blasted."

God's question is not cruel. It tells the truth while there is still time for the listener to hear it. Jesus told this parable to people who were still alive, right after warning them to "beware of covetousness" (Luke 12:15). Then He gave His disciples the hopeful side: "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). The God who requires the soul is also the Father who gives the kingdom.