would you agree that the events reported in this scene add an extra dramatic edge to the development of the bond plot

I think this scene is Shakespeare's brilliant way of approaching the whole theme of anti-Semitism in the play. Although Shylock is not a sympathetic character, he is still human and subject to the same frailties, grief and sense of loss as any Christian. We are able to see Shylock not only as a greedy money lender bent on vengeance but as a human being who hurts and grieves.