Did Jesus plan for Christianity to be a religion of a holy book or a religion of the Word?

Judaism and Islam see their holy books (the Torah and the Quran, respectively) as definitive for determining faith and morality in their religions. Was it Jesus' plan that Christians be directed by a holy book, or by the Word, who in John 1 is identified with Jesus himself? If the latter, what practical means did he institute to safeguard his teachings?