Daniel is an example of what is known as apocalyptic literature. It is telling a story that is on the service about one thing, but is really about something else.
This type of story telling is used when it is either too dangerous or too polarizing to talk about what you really want to talk about - but you can use an story about the same themes set in a different time to make your point. Some modern examples are the original Star Trek talking about race relations, which they couldn't do on television in the 1960's but by setting it in the future they could raise the issues or MASH - which is really about the issues of Vietnam, but by setting it in Korea they could get it on television.
The story of Daniel is set in the time of the captivity of the people of Israel in Babylon. The book was actually written about 200 years after the return of the people from exile. The themes - staying true to the law of God even in the midst of persecution and hardship - were themes being raised by the group of teacher who eventually became the Pharisees in Jesus' time. They were calling the people back to obedience to God in the midst of a nation being influenced by many of the surrounding nations.
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