Jesus, who knew all men and knew what was in man, entered a conversation with a religious man named Nicodemus in which Jesus gets to the heart of the matter. Jesus is insisting this new birth is the prerequisite for entrance into the kingdom of God and this truth is applied to a man of the caliber of Nicodemus. If Nicodemus cannot enter the promised kingdom by virtue of his standing and works, what hope is there for anyone one else seeking salvation along those lines?