I think that we enter the kingdom, as Jesus said, by hearing and doing the will of God. I, personally, don't have a problem, taking this story as literally true. I have seen enough strange and wonderful things, that I can accept this story as it is written down. The reactions of all the people present, certainly seem to me to ring true to human nature. But maybe you want to take this story as being true symbolically, and not literally.
Symbolism is all right.
I would just encourage you to look at the bottom line of this story. Because the whole point is that we recognize Christ. When the person in the story was healed, when he came back, and did his best to answer all the questions people asked, when they threw him out for sticking to the only truth he knew, he came face to face with Jesus. I am the one who healed you. Maybe that's what we should do, too.