There have only been a few dozen (or so) prophets throughout history.
In the OT God spoke through the prophets and through wonders like the burning bush etc. The Holy Spirit wasn't as active in those days as He is today. The prophets of the OT often prophesied concerning Israel and Christ first and second coming often while in exiled. God used Israel to bring about the Messiah to save the world and that's God's message to the world. No more prophets are needed to proclaim it. That's the mission of the church.
However! Now that we have the fullness of God's Spirit some can 'prophesy.'
Before the church was established spiritual gifts were administered only to certain individuals hand-picked by God. As the Spiritual gifts emerged into the general population of the church, the apostles eventually died off and were no longer necessary.
Ephesians 4 gives us details about the organization and offices of the early church. Some stayed in their local church and some positions were a ministry of going from church to church and went wherever the Spirit led them.
To be an apostle there were two qualifications. An apostle must have seen Jesus and witnessed his resurrection or the ascension, and they included more than the twelve.
The prophets had a dangerous job and were usually the first to be persecuted. As the church grew and developed, they eventually had their own deacons and ministers etc. to run the local church. After the church was well established the 'wandering prophets' became more of a disturbance than a help. The church eventually viewed them as an intrusion and the office of prophet just faded out.
Most Christian's I know do agree that there are no more apostles or prophets. All the prophecies about Christ second coming have been made. The church is established, and the Word is written.
And I don't know anybody who upholds the qualifications of a prophet or apostle anymore. There's no longer any use for them since all the prophecies have been given and we have the written Word. Now we have the gift of prophecy which is different than being a prophet.
Today we are disciples and are able to prophesy. That doesn't make us an apostle or a prophet!
An apostle must have either seen Jesus or been hand-picked by Jesus.
Paul said, "Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?" 1 Cor. 9:1
An apostle had to be a witness of the resurrection of Christ. When the 11 apostles met to discuss who would succeed Judas, the qualification was that he had to accompany them through the earthly life of Jesus and be a witness to the resurrection. Acts 1:21-22. Or Jesus had to hand-picked them himself.
And when it was day, he (Jesus) called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
Not only were the original twelve apostles hand-picked by Jesus, but Paul was also.
And as he [Paul] journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Acts 9:3-6 After Jesus appeared to him, he said of Paul: ...for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Acts 9:13-15 Paul refers to himself as: Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ...
Conclusion
There are no apostles today because they served as a foundation for the early church.
There are no apostles today because they had to have seen Jesus after he rose from the dead and bear witness to the resurrection of Christ. Paul says that he was the last person to see Jesus. Since no one since Paul has seen Jesus, no one since Paul can be an apostle.
There are no apostles today because apostles had to be hand-picked by Jesus and He hasn't been around for a while to do so.
The Bible warns us not to be deceived by false apostles. Since there are no true apostles or prophets today. Anyone who claims to be an apostle or prophet is a false one.
