When you use setblock on tile entities, using /setblock ~ ~-1 ~ air 0 replace or just /setblock ~ ~-1 ~ air (I was standing on the chest when doing so.), the tile entities does get deleted, but also outputs "The block couldn't be placed".
List of blocks getting the error:
Chest, Furnace, Enchantment Table (if you look in game code, it is a tile entity, for the book.), Ender Chest, Trap Chest, Standing Sign,, Wall Sign, Skulls, Dispenser, Banner, Flower Pot, Daylight Detector, Daylight Detector Inverted, Hopper, Dropper, Comparator, Jukebox, Beacon, Brewing Stands, Command Blocks

To recreate:
1. Place down a tile entity (list above shows all tile entities)
2. Use setblock to replace the chest. Co-cords, or block cords work
(Doing it with the block air seems to be only creating the issue.)
You should get a error. The error isn't true, as the tile entities is getting replaced into air.

You can see how below