We explore the dynamics of inclined temporal gravity currents using direct
numerical simulation, and find that the current creates an environment in which the flux Richardson number $Ri_f$, gradient Richardson number $Ri_g$, and turbulent flux coefficient $\Gamma$ are constant across a large portion of the depth. Changing the slope angle $\alpha$ modifies these mixing parameters, and the flow approaches a maximum Richardson number $Ri_\textrm{max}\approx 0.15$ as $\alpha \rightarrow 0$ at which the entrainment coefficient $E \rightarrow 0$. The turbulent Prandtl number remains $O(1)$ for all slope angles, demonstrating that $E\rightarrow 0$ is not caused by a switch-off of the turbulent buoyancy flux as conjectured by Ellison (1957). Instead, $E\rightarrow 0$ occurs as the result of the turbulence intensity going to zero as $\alpha\rightarrow 0$, due to the flow requiring larger and larger shear to maintain the same level of turbulence. We develop an approximate model valid for small $\alpha$ which is able to predict accurately $Ri_f$, $Ri_g$ and $\Gamma$ as a function of $\alpha$ and their maximum attainable values. The model predicts an entrainment law of the form $E=0.31(Ri_\textrm{max}-Ri)$, which is in good agreement with the simulation data. The simulations and model presented here contribute to a growing body of evidence that an approach to a marginally or critically stable, relatively weakly stratified equilibrium for stratified shear flows may well be a generic property of turbulent stratified flows.