An external force is needed to start an object moving. This can be applied through pushing, pulling, or some other method that imparts kinetic energy to the object.
The best, purest answer is: Because no force at all is required to keep a moving object moving.
The frictional force needed to start an object at rest into motion is the static frictional force. This force must be overcome by an external force before the object can start moving. Once the object is in motion, the kinetic frictional force will oppose its movement.
A force is needed to start something moving and to stop it once it is moving. A force can make something speed up or slow down. Friction is a force generated when surfaces move across each other.
Objects start out as either a rest or moving. If they are at rest, they require a force to be applied for them to start moving. If they are moving, they require a force to either slow them down or to make them stop. That means that once something starts moving, it will move forever, unless a force slows it down. The catch is that the force can be friction.
An external force, such as a push or a pull, can start a moving object by overcoming its inertia and setting it in motion. Once the object is in motion, it will continue moving until acted upon by another force.
Gravity
To cause an object to start moving, you need to apply a force to overcome its inertia. This force can be generated by pushing, pulling, or other means like gravity or magnetic fields. Once the force is greater than the object's inertia, it will start moving in the direction of the applied force.
Inertia
A force or acceleration
It would require greater force to start a refrigerator moving than a book because the refrigerator has more mass and therefore more inertia to overcome. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion. The greater the mass, the greater the inertia and thus the greater the force needed to overcome it.
The force required to start an object moving is called static friction. It is the force that acts between two objects in contact that are not yet moving relative to each other. It must be overcome to initiate motion.