Who are the "people of the message" in Qur'an 16:43?

When I read Rebecca's question [Are Muslims encouraged to read the Bible and/or the Torah? Why or why not?](https://islam.stackexchange.com/questions/34839/are-muslims-encouraged-to-read-the-bible-and-or-the-torah-why-or-why-not) , it remind me An-Nahl verse 43. As it states: > And We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed [Our message]. So ask the people of the message if you do not know. > Quran 16:43 Who are these "people of message"? Are they same as [people of book](https://islam.stackexchange.com/questions/7/who-are-ahlul-kitab) ? If these people same as "people of book", my interpretation as "getting knowledge from these people is allowed" is wrong? I read these questions and related answers also and it gives me more confusion because every reader got different understanding from this verse: - [An answer to "Read Quran with tafseer alone"](https://islam.stackexchange.com/a/33373/3466) - [Why Islam contradicts with Quran about the authenticity of Bible?](https://islam.stackexchange.com/questions/4253/why-islam-contradicts-with-quran-about-the-authenticity-of-bible/4268#4268) - [An answer to "Between Halal and Haram"](https://islam.stackexchange.com/a/17318/3466) - [An answer to "How Do Muslims Deal with “Difficult” Parts of Prophet Mohammed's Life?"](https://islam.stackexchange.com/a/12791/3466) - [An answer to "Is it blasphemy to question Islam?"](https://islam.stackexchange.com/a/31101/3466) - [An answer to "Is ijtihad open in Islam (Sunni view)?"](https://islam.stackexchange.com/a/26329/3466)