Jesus continues speaking to the crowd.

## Jesus told this parable ##

He spoke the parable to explain his statement in the previous verse that they should repent or perish.

## Why let it waste the ground ##

This is a rhetorical question. It can be translated as a statement as it is in the UDB or as a command: "Do not let it waste the ground." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])