The Pharisees were the party mainly referred to as “the Jews.” They were particularly hostile to Jesus (John 7:1); and the Sadducees, who comprised the chief priests, had already become critical of Him (Mt 16:6). They here join forces to silence Jesus by bringing Him before the Sanhedrin because of the vocal defense of Jesus by the crowd.

Mt 16:6  “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”