What does Creon mean when he says piety shown the dead is pity in vain?

In the context of the play "Antigone" by Sophocles, when Creon says, "piety shown the dead is pity in vain," he means that showing honor and respect to the dead is a futile and meaningless gesture. He believes that the living should focus on taking care of the living and that excessive mourning or rituals for the dead are a waste of time and resources. Creon views the dead as beyond help and considers it useless to show them compassion.