divide and conquer?

Galatians 2:6-10

People having authourity are mentioned a few times in this passage: those who seemed to be important (v. 6), those reputed to be pillars (v. 9) and those who seemed to be leaders (v. 2). All of these references are to James, Peter and John - the leaders of the Jerusalem church. These leaders welcomed Paul and Barnabas into their fellowship, seemingly recognizing Paul's own authourity to lead.
Another key word is "circumcised" - the NIV translates it Jews. This is going to be the core conflict that Paul deals with: do Gentile believers need to be circumcised?
To sum up this passage in my own words: Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to see the leaders of the church there. The leaders in Jerusalem recognized Paul's authourity to take the gospel to the Gentiles and did not demand that any Jewish law be added to the message of grace and freedom that Paul was preaching. According to Paul, all they required was that the Gentile believers remember the poor. If what Paul is referring to is the incident recorded in Acts 15, then his recollection is not entirely accurate. The leaders in Jerusalem also asked the Gentiles to abstain from sexual immorality, blood, the meat of strangled animals and meat offered to idols (although Paul argues in Corinthians that the food rules are not necessary).
Paul's ability to get to the core of the good news message is astounding, especially since he had grown up under and was a teacher of the rules of Judaism. I have grown up in the culture of fundamental/evangelical Christianity with all its rules and traditions and I know I have a tendency to add rules and traditions to the gospel message. Paul makes it clear that in order to have a relationship with Jesus, all I have to do is place all my trust in him. That's it.