The video tutorial explains the necessity of pointers in C programming. It begins with setting up a project in Visual Studio and demonstrates swapping two variables using a third variable. The tutorial then converts this logic into a function and uses debugging techniques to explore why the swap doesn't work as expected due to pass by value. Finally, it introduces pointers as a solution to the problem, setting the stage for the next lecture.

How can you verify that two variables are not the same when passed to a function?

What is the only remaining solution to make the swap function work correctly?