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I think one of the best ways to understand how the Tone Curve adjustment differs from the tonal adjustments in the Basic section of the right panel in the Develop module in Lightroom Classic (or in Camera Raw) is to recognize that in effect they are all the same adjustment. In other words, you can think of the sliders for Highlights, Shadows, Whites, and Blacks as each representing a specific adjustment with the Tone Curve. I'll quickly add the important caveat that there are other differences, but this analogy can help make it more clear how the Tone Curve differs.
For example, if you increase the value for the Shadows slider you are effectively moving an anchor point upward toward the dark (left) end of the Tone Curve. In both cases the shadows would be brightened. Reducing the value is the same as lowering the anchor point, darkening the shadow areas of the image.
If you switch the Tone Curve to the Parametric mode, the two categories of adjustments become even more clearly similar. In the Parametric editing mode for the Tone Curve you have sliders for Highlights, Lights, Darks, and Shadows, which roughly (but not exactly) correspond to the tonal adjustment sliders in the Basic section.
The real power of the Tone Curve adjustment when working in the Point Curve mode, however, is that you can fine-tune the range of tonal values you're affecting and the specific impact in terms of brightness and contrast, by manipulating the curve shape using multiple anchor points. While this degree of fine-tuning control isn't necessary for all images, it can certainly be very helpful to have the greater degree of control for sophisticated adjustments with certain images.
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