The first time I saw Jaws I was afraid to swim in
public recreation pools. For a long time I wouldn't go in water, and even today you'll never find me within a mile of a beach (Michigan FTW!).
Today I like the movie even more because I notice things I didn't as a kid. The subtle yet brilliant scene with a drunk Martin and his son, imitating his daddy.
Martin: Give me a kiss
Son: Why?
Martin: Because I need it
I love that scene. Or, the scene with them telling their various horror stories about sea based injuries lol. And like Willco said, the characters in the movie are extremely well written and flushed out. Robert Shaw is amazing in the movie, from his first to last scene. The same with Richard Dreyfuss; can you imagine just how horrible and cliched 90% of other directors would use a "smart" character like that?
BRET RATNER JAWS REMAKE:
Richard Dreyfuss, played by the Mac guy: Um let me see, according to my calculations we -
Robert Shaw, played by Vin Diesel: Shut the fuck up smart man, I'm takin a piss
Richard Dreyfuss, played by the Mac guy: Look, don't be mad because my education pisses...all over yours!
Robert Shaw, played by Vin Diesel: That's what the Vietcong said to me before I ripped out their insides *cue laughter*

I LOVE Jurassic Park; I think it's perfectly paced and entertaining from start to finish. But to compare it to Jaws would be ignorant. Jaws scared the shit out of me
an hour before the shark was even seen. That's brilliance on Spielberg's part in my opinion; he knew what he had to work with (half of a mechanical shark), and he used it to the max while barely showing it.