The Twelve were not even Christians at the time Jesus spoke the parable. Jesus spoke to them with grace and truth as He did with everyone, but they were under law still.
16 “The
law and the prophets were until John. Since that time
the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.
Luke 16:16
The Apostles were empowered to preach the Gospel to the lost.
And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him,
He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7
And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick,cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Matthew 10:5-7
JPT