Board Thread:The Flash discussions/@comment-26855145-20161026193400/@comment-3221148-20161027161603

Because viewers like their villains to be a little self-righteous.

In universe, it's implied he met time wraiths before, in the old timeline.

Kaestal wrote: Fairly certain it's more that Eobard knows what he is doing, whereas Barry really doesn't. Yeah, like when he lost his powers after traumatizing Barry and decided to bend the timeline to his liking. Totally intended that.