It's an easy mistake to make, as Pope Francis shows in the quote provided here, because it's been repeated so often, folks naturally assume it to be true. As you're aware, Paul doesn't highlight a conflict with the Pharisees; Mark lumps them with the scribes; it's Matthew who blows the conflict out of proportion, although Luke doesn't follow his lead and John turns it into a conflict with "the Jews." 
I don't gather in a parish, so I don't have to worry about extremists on either end of the theological spectrum. They all seem to worry about me, though....:)