Hare Krsna,
I would say there are two main factors why different people react after hearing transcendental wisdom. One factor is the particular mode of material nature that binds the people. Another factor is envy. There could be other factors too.
In Bhagavad Gita Lord Krsna tells Arjuna: My dear Arjuna, because you are never envious of Me, I shall impart to you this most confidential knowledge and realization, knowing which you shall be relieved of the miseries of material existence. (BG 9.1)
Because Arjuna is not envious, Kṛṣṇa spoke the special knowledge to him. Arjuna was able to receive the transcendental wisdom in right mood, spirit, and surrender.
Kamsa, on the other hand, was very envious of Krsna. Kaṁsa was a condemned personality in the Bhoja dynasty because he was envious and sinful (SB 10.1.35). He was so cruel and envious that he was shamelessly ready to kill his sister Devaki. (SB 10.1.36)
Because such envious people are averse to Krsna and His instructions, the Lord perpetually cast them into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life. Krsna also says in BG: Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me. (BG 7.15)
On the other hand, the devotees who have faith in Krsna and His teachings reach to the transcendental wisdom differently. They are willing to surrender immediately; Ktsna also reciprocates with them lovingly.
BG 9.13: O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.
Similarly, the three modes of material nature also play a big part in how different people react to transcendental wisdom. The mode of ignorance covers one’s knowledge and binds him to madness. For such people, knowledge means the satisfaction of bodily demands. It is more or less like the knowledge of the ordinary animals: the knowledge of eating, sleeping, defending, and mating. Such knowledge is described here as the product of the mode of darkness. Kamsa was more interested in protecting his body and its bodily possessions such as kingdom, power, wealth, fame, control, etc. As such people are not open to receiving transcendental knowledge.
Reflecting deeply, the difference is the understanding the difference between body and soul. Those who are in mode of goodness, who accept that they are spiritual souls – eternal part and parcel of Krsna – are more favorable to react positively to transcendental wisdom. On the other hand, those people like Kamsa, Duryodhana, etc. who are grossly under the illusory bodily consciousness react negatively to transcendental wisdom because they feel threatened by the apparent lose of ‘I’ and ‘Mine.
Therefore, when both Vasudeva and Krsna presented the philosophy that ‘For one who has taken his birth, death is certain; and for one who is dead, birth is certain (BG 2.28)’ to Kamsa and Arjuna respectively, each one of them reacted differently. Arjuna was willing to surrender to Krsna and be an instrument in the Lord’s mission. Kamsa, on the other hand, was revolting and ready to kill his own sister.
BG 17.18: Bewildered by false ego, strength, pride, lust and anger, the demons become envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in their own bodies and in the bodies of others, and blaspheme against the real religion.
BG 17.24: One should therefore understand what is duty and what is not duty by the regulations of the scriptures. Knowing such rules and regulations, one should act so that he may gradually be elevated.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 