The purpose of life is whatever the living make it and, as 
TomC25 said, the previously living have allowed for and, as 
wedesdo said, the previously living have facilitated. 
As for the Universe's purpose for life, surely it is to show inorganic matter how really, really dumb it is.
Still, the Universe affords inorganic matter its jollies by demonstrating that so much organic matter is just as stupid.
