I think the key to this quote is “take away”. I also believe he is referring to emotional or spiritual suffering, rather than suffering because of starvation, severe pain, dehydration, etc.

There is a fundamental difference between taking away and alleviating. “Taking away” is an act based on our judgment of the situation, like your rich man with the Bentley. We decide to actively intervene according to what we think is best. When we do that, even with the best intentions, we deprive the “sufferer” the opportunity for important spiritual or emotional growth. We can offer support, according to how the other person defines that, but it is not our right to fix them according to how we think they should be. It’s a difficult lesson that every parent must learn!