It is clear from the passage that Jesus was saying something impossible. Nothing about a gate that the camels have to kneel down to get through. If there had been such a gate, the disciples would have responded with "oh, just like the gate" as opposed to utter astonishment "who then shall be saved?"

The point of this entire chapter seems to be that Jesus is our only hope. Jesus raises the bar higher than the rich young ruler can attain to, and thus points him to his need for a savior, a substitute. If we walk away from this passage thinking that all we have to do is sell everything and then we can earn God's favor, we've totally missed it. That's what's so demonic about the "camel gate" theory. It would indicate that it is possible for a camel to get through the needle's eye, just difficult. But Jesus calls it impossible. Apart from God saving you, you are as hopeless as a 700 pound camel trying to make it through the eye of your grandma's knitting needle. You and I need saving, not just kneeling down and shuffling through.

God, in this passage, is trying to take away all of your hope apart from Christ.

Matthew 19:23-24