Well in a nutshell ... usually the men that send around these e-mails are the type of man that is the sweetest and most humble when their wive's are around.
I have one golden rule in situations like this ... when it is e-mail, I don't respond.
When it is on a forum ... I don't post.
When it is in the flesh I frown.
In my humble opinion you made a mistake by replying.