If the last new Star wars we ever saw was back in 1983, the franchise wouldn’t be as popular as it is today. The originals may have maintained a reputation of being groundbreaking for their time, and a cultural touchstone, but so many young people have an attachment to Star Wars that has very little to do with the originals. They most likely only saw those movies out of curiosity about how it all started.
As it is now, all parts of Star Wars reinforce each other. Each generation has their own take on it. I’d say it’s more correct that the prequels, as well as other new content, is what will keeps people aware of Star Wars. I don’t see an end in sight, and that’s comforting.
I think it’s really the exact opposite way around: People more often get introduced to Star Wars because of the older content (usually the OT), and check out newer stuff later.
Speaking from personal experience, Sparky is correct. I was introduced to Star Wars around the same time that Phantom Menace was coming out, but I was too young to be aware of new movie releases, so my first experience was my parents showing me the OT. It took me a couple years, to around the time AotC was coming out, before I even learned about TPM and that there were more than just three Star Wars films. I was introduced to Star Wars as just a trilogy of films, and I was initially confused that there were more, and if Star Wars had remained just a trilogy, I would have still loved it just as much and been just as obsessed. The age of the films didn’t matter to me at all. I do have nostalgic attachment to the prequels, but my nostalgia for the OT is much stronger and goes further back.