The Jews should have been ready for a deeper relationship with Christ since they've heard about God and the Messiah all of their lives, but for some reason they are still just on the very fringe of an understanding of Christ. The author, though, is determined to take this deeper and encourages the reader to come along for the ride.
Right off, he explains that if you have tasted the heavenly gift and intentionally turned away from Christ, that you will not be brought back to repentance. "But hang on," you say, "I thought that you couldn't lose your salvation." True, and this passage isn't talking about anyone losing their salvation. I would argue that those that are saved don't merely "taste" the heavenly gift, but they drink it in and live it. The ones that have only tasted have not yet fully believed and while they may have felt the pulling the Holy Spirit ("shared in the Holy Spirit"), they haven't made the choice. If they are so bold as to actively deny Christ and to stand before Him in judgment having not believed, then they cannot be saved.
It's like a group of guys going to the Baskin and Robbins for ice cream. Most of them order an ice cream cone of their favorite flavor, and one of them chooses to only get a sample of the vanilla. This one never buys an ice cream cone, though. Once they've left the store, you can say that he "tasted" of their experience, and he shared in the experience, but he can't now go back and get an ice cream cone with them, it's too late. Right now we're still in the ice cream shop and either you're eating ice cream or you're thinking about it. Once we leave the shop (the end of the world, or your death), you're decision is made and you can't go back.
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