Surely, this demonstrates grace. I am a firm believer in grace. Heaven is certainly not a reward for good deeds. This story brings this out. You can't live an entire life in sin and get the same reward that I worked a whole life-time to get.
Nobody is saved by their good works.
Nobody is lost because of their lack of good works. He was never Baptized. He never spoke in tongues. He never made restitution for all those things he took from others. He never paid tithe or gave one dime to the church offering.