The idol in the man’s life was his wealth, which he loved more than he loved Christ and eternal life (see Psalm 62:11), so he went away sorrowfully (or irritated), for he did not get the help he was seeking and he refused the help that he was offered. His reaction in Matthew 19:22 also showed that Jesus had touched a sore spot in Matthew 19:21: the love of money.
The young man becomes sorrowful—not angry, but sorrowful, for what is required was too much for him. While he still valued eternal life, he still was seeking it above everything else. He does not not follow Jesus. We do not know that he preferred his possessions above Jesus, but it was now clear to him that he was not yet perfect (Jesus himself has that perfection: 2 Corinthians 8:9). This also shows that he may still have thought that he could obtain life by his own effort. Whether his sorrow later led him to true repentance before God and to seeking the right path, we do not know (2 Corinthians 7:10).
The core problem in this young man’s life was his wealth. He loved his possessions and his status more than he loved Christ and eternal life (see Psalm 62:11). This led him to go away sorrowfully, for he did not receive the help he was seeking. The help that he was offered, he refused to accept. This reaction by the young man in Matthew 19:22 also showed that Jesus had touched a sensitive point in Matthew 19:21: the love of money. At first the young man was very enthusiastic, but when Jesus set his requirement before him, he went away sorrowfully (or irritated).1
The young man becomes sorrowful—not angry, but sorrowful, for what is required of him is too much for him. He would still, as before, have valued eternal life, yet he had not learned to prioritize it above everything else. He goes away, away from Jesus; he does not follow him. The man was rich; all his possessions to the poor—he cannot bear it. One may not immediately say that the man preferred his possessions above Jesus, but rather that it now became evident, to his own self-discovery, that he was not yet perfect (Jesus himself possesses that perfection: 2 Corinthians 8:9). This also shows that he was not yet convinced that he could not obtain life by his own effort. Whether the sorrow of this young man later led him to true repentance before God and the search for the right path, we do not know (see 2 Corinthians 7:10).2
22 Après avoir entendu ces paroles, le jeune homme s'en alla tout triste; car il avait de grands biens.