Since “the cultivators” mistreat and kill the “slaves,” Jesus explains: “Lastly [the owner of the vineyard] dispatched his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ On seeing the son the cultivators said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance!’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.”

The scribes and chief priests now recognize that Jesus is speaking about them, and they want to kill him, the rightful “heir.” So the privilege of being rulers in God’s Kingdom will be taken from them as a nation, and a new nation of ‘vineyard cultivators’ will be created, one that will produce suitable fruits.