Both sides had a number of injured stars on the sidelines, with Ian Black, Grant Munro, Ross Tokely and Roy McBain out for the hosts, while keeper Alan Combe, Gordon Greer and Rhian Dodds missed out for Jim Jefferies' team.
The first two matches this season between the pair saw eight goals shared as well as the points in two draws.
The Highlanders were keen to open a gap in the table over Aberdeen and simultaneously close the gap on the Rugby Parkers to just two points.
Killie's sights were set even higher, a win in Inverness would put them on level points with Rangers if the Ibrox side lost the weekend's Old Firm encounter.
As it was, the draw was a fair outcome at the end of the 90 minutes.
Killie started the game in positive mood and Colin Nish was denied a goal by the offside flag.
At the other end, Craig Dargo pounced to hit the base off the post against his old club and Garry Hay then cleared the danger.
The visitors had appeals for a penalty turned down when Gary Wales tumbled in the box under a challenge by David Proctor on 14 minutes.
Steven Naismith shot Kilmarnock in front when he connected with Danny Invincibile's cross and sent his shot past Brown into the net.
However, on 33 minutes it was all square when Dennis Wyness, following good work from Dargo, netted from close range.
Proctor almost gave Caley Thistle the lead moments later when he smashed a Dargo knockdown just over the bar.
On the stroke of half-time, Barry Wilson went close, but drilled a 25-yarder over the top.
Dargo then raced on to a pass from Wyness on 52 minutes as Inverness re-started positively after the break but keeper Graeme Smith did well to block his drive.
Just before the hour mark, Naismith thought he'd restored Killie's lead, but he was adjudged to have felled Brown in the six-yard box as he went for the ball.
Brown came to the Highlanders' rescue in the next move when he got down to hold a Nish header from an Invincibile delivery.
Then Killie appealed that a Nish header from close range had crossed the line, but referee Kenny Clark waved play on.
That man Dargo got his rewards when he got on to the end of a cross from Richard Hastings to score his 15th of the season.
But just 60 seconds later Wales equalised when he controlled the ball well on the penalty spot after Lindsay Wilson had sent the ball into the danger zone.
With just five minutes left, Wales did the damage when he accepted a lay-off from Nish and steered a terrific 16-yard shot into the far post.
Another twist was to come one minute later when Proctor connected with sub Alan Morgan's corner to make it a thrilling 3-3 scoreline.