>>How do you explain the parable of Lazarus in Abraham’s arms while the rich man suffers in hell from Luke 16?<<
Well, for starters, it IS a parable.
True, but even in a parable a mustard seed is still a mustard seed and a fatted calf is still a fatted calf.
A parable wouldn't have much use as a teaching tool if the people didn't already know of and accept the existence of heaven and hell.
Agreed. But Jesus would not communicate something to those He was teaching that was a complete untruth. In other words, He would not have talked about the rich man being in torment unless such a thing could actually occur. If the "bad guys" are annihilated at death, the parable wouldn't have made a bit of sense.