It has been a while since I've read P&P but from what I remember Austen was trying to reflect the flaws in the structure of society - the way she subtly linked Jane's forgiving/loving of Darcy with her realisation of his finances(there is a quote in there where she is looking at one of his gardens or manors I think and says something along the lines of - how could a man with such property be anything but purehearted?). There are also the less subtle things that she takes a poke at in the persons of Mrs. Bennet the eccentric mother, as well as Mary the self aggrandising sister and that inept cousin who courted Jane briefly. There is alot more, but I haven't read this book in quite a while so I can't really contribute any further sorry.
