Christ spoke in parables as a way of hiding the truth from people.
He worded those parables in such a way that He was giving you enough rope so you could hang yourself according to the filthiness of your heart.
He points out that He speaks only to the multitudes in parables because it is not given to them to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven.
If Christ said this and then taught the Rich man and Lazarus as a straight foward account then He lied about it not being given to the multitudes to know the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens.
Notice that He calls them the "Mysteries" of the kingdom of the heavens which implies He never taught straight forward simple teachings on in parables.
There are several bible verses that talk about this.
Mat 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
The reason most christian's do no want and will not accept what this verse is saying is because it just doesn't fit in with their theology.
Firstly a Christ who speaks in parables doesn't ring true as someone who is desperately rushing around trying to save everybody from a fabled eternal fire and secondly because they will not admit that they are blind a that the truth is hidden from them.
Mat 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
Mat 13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
This verse makes it perfectly clear that Christ had no intention of speaking plainly of the Father to the multitudes at this time.
1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
The milk that Paul is talking about here is the letter as opposed to the spirit of the word.
The same words to one person can mean something completely different to someone else who is able to see the spirit rather than the letter.
The letter kills but the spirit gives life.
Joh 16:25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
If Christ had spoken plainly in his teahings why would He now need to speak plainly to them at a later date?
Obviously because the parables of the Kingdom of the Heavens revealed who Christ is and therefore the Father and this eternal life giving knowledge and understanding.
