This Hadith and the incident relating to Ibn Umm Maktum are quoted by such people who hold that those who are physically fit, resident and have no valid reason for not coming to the mosque for Salat, for them Salat in the mosque (Jama'ah) is a must. Those who do not accept that Salat in mosque is obligatory and regard it Fard Kifayah (collective duty, i.e., if one Muslim performs it, the rest of the Muslim community will not be obliged to perform it, and thus will not be deemed sinful for doing so), for them such Ahadith refer to the hypocrites who did not come to the mosque for Salat. Some people are of the view that it is Sunnah Mu'akkadah (an established Sunnah, hence compulsory) and they take such Ahadith for inducement because if performance of Salat in congregation was obligatory, those who missed it would have been punished by the Prophet (PBUH), but we do not find any instance of it in his life. It clearly shows that it is Sunnah. If we go by logic, this view seems to be more correct. But we cannot, at the same time, lose sight of the importance that has been attached to the Salat in congregation especially the fact that it is 25 times more rewarding than the Salat offered individually.
This Hadith also tells us that it is permissible to take criminals and sinful people from their homes by surprise.