Today’s reading expresses with great depth the logic of wicked people. Since they have muted their conscience, they delude themselves and think that whatever they do is allowed.
Suddenly, righteous people appear. Their behavior takes the role of the conscience of the wicked and reproaches them from outside.
Then, the wicked think that they can do to such people what they did to their inner conscience: to mute them, by all means.
The wicked trust in their present power and think that it will last forever.
There is no need to counter them. They have already lost the battle of life.