The man responds by saying that he has observed all these commandments from his youth. He is serious about keeping God's law. Yet, he comes to Jesus with the question, How can I inherit eternal life? How do I share in this? Apparently, he realizes that all his good works are not sufficient. He therefore recognizes Jesus as the teacher sent by God. In this, he is more advanced than many leaders of Israel.
21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.”