Tom Bombadil is a guardian and caretaker of the forest and a friend of Gandalf.(Hence the quote) I don't think he has any real important part in any way, but he does help along Frodo with the ring and has Frodo tell him about it. Gandalf maybe going to tell Tom about the great war and the fate of the hobbit's and the ring, since he would be curious to know what happened the hobbit's after the stories they shared.
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