Where does the game end?

Imagine you have a character in a MMORPG who just hit the level cap. You enter a dungeon with a group, somebody in the group inspects you, and he points out to you that the gear you are wearing is bad. He says you could have bought better gear for very little gold in the auction house, as well as enchantments / gems to improve that gear further. How would you feel? Pretty stupid and a bit ashamed probably. Years of games like WoW has "taught" us that it is our duty to get the best gear possible

World of Warkraft...