When the scribes and the high priests realized that Jesus had told this parable about them, they wanted to arrest him right then, but they were afraid of the crowd.

So the high priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put him to death, because they were afraid of the crowd.

Then the Pharisees went and planned how to trap Jesus in conversation.

Were very attentive to hear him

Ezra read from it, facing the plaza in front of the Water Gate, from early in the morning until mid-day in the presence of the men and women, as well as all who could understand. All the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like that!"

A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a dealer in purple goods, was listening to us. She was a worshiper of God, and the Lord opened her heart to listen carefully to what was being said by Paul.

General references

So the high priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put him to death, because they were afraid of the crowd.