The popes were content with living in debauchery with all it's pomp.
Luther didn't start a religion because GOD IS NOT ABOUT RELIGION. He exposed the pagans and hypocritical liars who keep hostage The Word of God while they twisted it.
HE and millions of others where FREE AT LAST from the cult and Catholicism is still in angst over it. The gates of hell did not prevail against God's Church much to the chagrin of Rome!
Praise God! He is ever faithful to HIS WORD.
He sure did; it's called Protestantism. There as a whole denomination named after him.