I personally don't believe any story content should be locked behind extremely difficult fights.
I'm fine with those fights existing for the challenge and loot, but to me the story should be for everyone.

Of course SE is free to design the game the way they wish. If they intend for the coil story to only be experienced by a few than that's the way it is, though to me the addition of echo suggests they do want more people to clear these fights eventually.
I agree with the post a few pages back that said it would be better to have separate story modes and no echo on the normal versions to help preserve their challenge.