In the story, they are the Sadducees. Jesus scoffed at them. He went up against the Pharisees more, but that's something like a modern American leftist arguing against the Democrats. They tend to agree 95% of the time, at least on paper.

When I used to, like, try and be a good person, I often got to point out to Christians that I was the closest thing they would ever meet to their messiah. Watching their faces was so fun.