Why did Jesus ask the rich young ruler,

18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. (Luke 18:18-19; Mark 10:18).

Does Jesus deny His deity in these verses?

The rich young ruler approached Jesus seeking the Path to eternal life through works of self-righteousness…Jesus provided the young man his first opportunity to find life by acknowledging Jesus as Messiah-God-Savior by faith; therefore, Jesus asked the young man why he had called Jesus “good” teacher seeing that no one is truly “good” but God and if the young man had acknowledged Jesus as Messiah-God the discourse that followed concerning law, commandments, obedience, would have been unnecessary.

Jesus IS NOT denying His deity but confirming it and offering the young man a Path to eternal life by a public confession of faith in Him as Lord. Jesus’ following discourse with the young man is focused upon the necessity for “faith” – “belief” as opposed to works of the law for righteousness (a right standing) with our Heavenly Father.