Here in Denmark, if you have a Visa or master card issued by a Danish bank, you only need to use your PIN in a shop if you are paying for something over a certain amount, This is to prevent large sums being withdrawn on stolen cards.
Usually you just have to swipe your card but sometimes you have to insert it.
Using a Danish issued card in Germany you always have to insert it in the machine at the cash desk, and as far as I can see the same applies if someone is paying in Denmark with a card issued by a German bank.
For all online transactions here you need to verify that you are the card-holder. You chose which of two or three methods of doing this you want to use, once for all. I have a computer generated once only code sent to my phone, type it in, and follow it with a code I and nets.dk know, as I find this easier than logging on using my personal security code to the government portal used by hospitals, Income tax and any other state or government dept. that might want to contact me.
All of these measures are meant to reduce the likelihood of misuse of our credit cards. Whether they do or not remains to be seen.
I think the days are long gone when a bank manager knew each and very customer and felt entitled to offer unsolicited advice about our expenditure, so no, OP, I don't think the bank is trying to tell you anything.