When a bit only works inside the longer show, do you keep it?

I’ve got material that feels weak as a standalone five but makes much more sense once the audience knows the earlier stuff it’s calling back to. I’m torn between treating that as evidence the bit is doing a useful job in the show, or as a warning that it can’t stand on its own. When you’re building longer material, do you still expect every section to survive independently, or are some bits allowed to earn their place mainly through context and callbacks?