The first few words of Sefer Devarim are understood to be Moshe Rabbeinu hinting at different mistakes the Jewish people made in the desert, and he is giving them disguised rebuke.
Rashi to Devarim 1:1, quoting Sifri:
אלה הדברים: לפי שהן דברי תוכחות ומנה כאן כל המקומות שהכעיסו לפני המקום בהן, לפיכך סתם את הדברים והזכירם ברמז מפני כבודן של ישראל
However, throughout the rest of Devarim, Moshe gives open rebuke to the Jewish people, recounting the spies and other mistakes explicitly!
What was the point of the hidden rebuke if he did so explicitly later?