Rashi tells us what was the motivation for Yaakov wanting to purchase the birthright of the older son, from Eisav.
He informs us that it was already known to Yaakov, that Eisav was a wicked man who despised the Sacrificial Service and in order to remove Eisav from the priesthood and for responsibility for the sacrificial service, which by default went to the first born, he decided to buy those rights and privileges from his wicked brother.
In other words, in merit of the sacrificial service, Yaakov and his descendants ultimately ended up getting the blessings of ruling over his evil brother, instead of the other way around, since the blessing of being the ruler, was linked to the birthright privileges of the older son.