Marx and Engels focused on the relationship between the oppressor and the oppressed—that is, they maintained that the world consists of the members of the ruling class, the bourgeoisie, and the members of the subordinate class, the working class (http://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Communist-Manifesto). In their work, The Communist Manifesto, it was stated that the members of the ruling class controlled and expanded their wealth by exploiting the working class, members of which could only work and earn money by being exploited by the powerful. Marx and Engels criticized this system of inequality, and they argued the members of the working class, the proletariat, would unite together and defeat the capitalists. This would result in the workers' society, a classless society, whose every member would enjoy the fruits of equality because no one would be exploited. Everybody would have equal access.
Rawls, on the other hand, was less extreme, and according to him, justice had to do with fairness (http://hubpages.com/education/Key-Concepts-of-the-Philosophy-of-John-Rawls). In his book, A Theory of Justice, he argues that every person should enjoy his or her rights without jeopardizing the rights of other individuals. Most importantly, unlike Marx and Engels, Rawls does justify inequality, but only if the most disadvantaged members of the human society could benefit from it. Therefore, he focuses on the underprivileged and insists that others must make an effort to make the position of the underprivileged more tolerable. There should be no inequality if it will not provide benefits for the poor.
Unlike Marx and Engels' system, the Rawlsian system allows some space for a small degree of inequality in society; however, it maintains that inequality should not be tolerated if the majority of people, despite making an effort, cannot find themselves able to thrive.
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