Jesus uses this question to cause the people to think about a situation that they already know. This can be written as a statement. Alternate translation: "No one tells the wedding attendants of the bridegroom to fast while he is still with them." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion]])
Fasting is a sign of sadness. The religious leaders understood that the wedding attendants would not fast while the bridegroom was with them. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit]])