Why is equilibrium achieved at different stages of a reaction?
If you define early or end of reaction by the how much the concentration of reactants change from initial reaction to once equilibrium is reached, it is because the equilibrium constant itself is essentially a ratio of the forward and reverse rate constants (can be approximated by the Arrhenius equation posted by t.c.). A high ratio means "more" products (at least a higher concentration) are present at equilibrium than reactants (so in a sense near the "end of the reaction"), since the forward rate is much higher than the reverse, a lower concentration of reactants compared to products is needed to maintain equilibrium. A low ratio means the opposite.