When Jesus condemned "traditions of men" he was talking to Rabbis and the issue was Rabbinic law.

As for Jesus saying elsewhere that the Pharisees must be followed,

1. I am not responsible for contradictions in the New Testament. A condemnation is a condemnation, no matter what it says in another chapter.

2. Christianity has NEVER believed in following Pharisee legislation, so Jesus' exhortation to follow the Pharisees is not worth the paper it is printed on.

3. Christianity by definition can never follow Jesus' orders. Since Christianity claims the Sanhedrin judged against him, how can Christians obey the Sanhedrin?