Scriptural analysis: The context of Nephi's essentially private discourse on the Savior and the future of the world with respect to the Savior is triggered by his discussion of the creation of, and purpose for, the plates. When noting that he writes of sacred things, Nephi's mind immediately turns to the most sacred, Christ.
Structural analysis: The organization of this section of Nephi's writing indicates both that this text is an aside, and that while Nephi is clearly writing for a future audience, he is not necessarily writing for a present audience. The scope of his discussion ranges from the birth of the Savior to his crucifixion, to the ultimate redemption of Israel through Christ. Because Nephi sees that ultimate redemption as a possibility, but a conditional one, he writes so that the future generations might understand what they need to know to obtain that condition.
This future focus suggests that Nephi has no current readership in mind as he writes. Where the large plates of Nephi are kept current with the rulers and the wars and the affairs of state, this record has no present purpose. Nephi is writing what he he wants to write, for both his own sensibilities and for his estimation of a distant and hoped for audience.
Textual analysis: Early in Nephi's narrative he discussed the acquisition of the brass plates, and as part of that narrative indicated that they spent time reading the plates. This passage makes it clear that the reading of the brass plates was a continuous process, and that his knowledge of their contents was fairly good. Nephi cites the various brass plate prophets as references, not as specifically copied texts. While Nephi's text assumes a future population, he does not assume a population without access to the references. Nephi may foresee our reading of his writings, but he does not foresee our desire to know more about what have become to us "missing" texts.
Nephi's handling of text raises interesting questions for the entire Book of Mormon. What kind of textual citation does the Book of Mormon employ, and how frequently?
The answer to this is that there is very little textual citation. The largest cited texts are in the writings of the original Nephi and his brother Jacob. Past that there are only the long explication of Isaiah in Abinidi's preaching, and Christ's specific citation of Isaiah (3 Ne. 16:17). There are some brief citations, such as Alma 33:13 "Behold, if ye do, ye must believe what Zenos said; for, behold he said: Thou hast turned away thy judgments because of thy Son."
Other references to prophets take the form of Nephi's reference. The reference is made, but the referred text is not cited (for example, Hel. 8:19 And now I would that ye should know, that even since the days of Abraham there have been many prophets that have testified these things; yea, behold, the prophet Zenos did testify boldly; for the which he was slain).
Of even greater interest is the lack of self-citation in the text. While Nephi was a great prophet, and prophesied plainly, his not cited at all (excepting the references by his brother Jacob). Later generations clearly know of the story of Nephi:
"Mosiah 10:13 And again, that they were wronged while in the land of their first inheritance, after they had crossed the sea, and all this because that Nephi was more faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord--therefore he was favored of the Lord, for the Lord heard his prayers and answered them, and he took the lead of their journey in the wilderness."
and....
"Alma 3:6 And the skins of the Lamanites were dark, according to the mark which was set upon their fathers, which was a curse upon them because of their transgression and their rebellion against their brethren, who consisted of Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph, and Sam, who were just and holy men."
The story may be known, but that is certainly to be expected, as all peoples preserve their personal genesis stories. The interesting point is that while Nephi is remembered, his writings are not, even by a people that apparently continue to have and to consult the brass plates. This suggests even more strongly that Mormon's indication (W of M 1:3 And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written; for after I had made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin, of whom Amaleki spake, I searched among the records which had been delivered into my hands, and I found these plates, which contained this small account of the prophets, from Jacob down to the reign of this king Benjamin, and also many of the words of Nephi.") that the small plates that Nephi created were lost to the main textual transmission line, and found again only very late.