Luke 16: 19 - 31  Jesus tells a story about two men.  The first man, we are told, is rich and lives an extravagant life.  He has the best of clothes and material goods.  He eats well and enjoys himself.
The second man, Lazarus, is sickly and poor.  His body is covered with sores.  He is starving. He is laid at the gate of the rich man's house, but is never helped.  Only the dogs pay attention to him.

Both men die.
Lazarus is "carried away to Abraham's bosom."
The rich man is buried and is found in Hades.

Lazarus is comforted in the arms of his family - Abraham himself has received this son into the kingdom.
But the man who had lived in greedy luxury, without compassion or care, was in agony.  He was tormented. He was thirsty.  He was in despair.  Now it is he who is begging for mercy.

Gently addressing this man as "Child....", Abraham explains why no mercy will be given:
He had lived in luxury while Lazarus had suffered.
Lazarus was receiving comfort. Nothing would be taken away from him.
There is a chasm between them that cannot be crossed.
There is no way open to come into the Kingdom.
There is no more opportunities for repentance.
It is too late. 

The man begs Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to tell his brothers - to warn them of the reality of Hades, so that they might repent.  But, Abraham tells him that they must hear the Word of God, the Law and the Prophets - and if they don't have ears to hear that, they will not listen to the one who comes back from the dead either.

Isn't it interesting that Jesus uses the name Lazarus in this story?  John records for us ( John 11)  the death of Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha.  Jesus does raise Lazarus from the dead.  Later on we learn that the Pharisees wanted to kill Lazarus again because people were hearing what he had to say. There were many who believed because of his testimony.  But, there were also those who would not listen, even to one raised from the dead.

We do not know when it will be too late for us or for our loved ones.
Now is the day that we must come to our Lord Jesus and have ears to hear His Words.
We must not live as the rich man, caring only for ourselves, but we must live as humble servants of our Heavenly Father, ready to enter into His rest.

Father, You are holy and perfect in every way.  You have given to us the Word of God so that we might repent and be received into Your Kingdom.  Your Kingdom is everlasting.  It is glorious and majestic and filled with splendor.  We pray for Your Kingdom to come!  But, O Lord,  there are ones that we love that are not ready.  Please change their hearts even now, this very day, that they will enter eternal comfort in Your arms and not eternal agony in hell.  You are merciful, my Lord.  Please have mercy on me and on my loved ones.  I ask this in the Name of my Lord, Jesus Christ, amen.