This provocative question was made by Jesus to those who wanted to know more about Him and His teaching.  

This is the  answer I give  in my play, ROAD TO BETHANY, after asking the question to would-be followers, "the Son of Moses, Elijah, Jeremiah, the Son of David?"  Paraphrasing the passage in scripture.

Now, why would our Lord say that?

Because He knew that His listeners believed in reincarnation.

 I don't know if He believed in it, but in many ways "Reincarnation" makes perfect sense.

Why?

Because Paul says that ALL will be saved.  He says this, because he was told that was what would happen by the Spirit.  

Now, if every living being is to be resurrected, body returned to the soul and the spirit, and life renewed, from the beginning of "Time", imagine how many billions of beings this would represent?  Could the world sustain that many?

Do I believe in reincarnation?

The jury is still out, but I've never received any remembrance of a "past life"..bobnPaul