Dear Barry, John and Doves...
 
I've often thought this parable had a Spiritual meaning, aside from its obvious practical meaning, that had to do with counting the cost of following Jesus.
 
If we want to build a tower or call it what you will, dedicate your life to serving Jesus, it will require you to give up a lot of things that others deem important here in this World.  That to me would be counting the cost.  Do I want to give up that stuff?
 
Then, if we start but decide to quit or don't execute our plan correctly, if our works have no lasting value and get burned up, our embarrassment will come when we stand before Jesus at His Judgment seat where He will judge our work with fire and we will lose rewards or worse,  just escape into Heaven as by fire.  I think it also might keep us from being able to serve with Christ in the eternal government of Heaven.
 
I think it has to do with working out our Soul's Salvation, which, as Paul said we must do with fear and trembling.
 
YBIC
Jim O'Riley