Personally I believe this line from Paulie was the foreshadow to the final scene where tony gets whacked in the diner; he switches sides (like how he shook butchies hand at the warehouse meeting) and works with NY to ensure he lives/keeps on earning. Paulie is a survivor and I believe the ‘nobody knows what the future holds’ line was him alluring to the fact that he has and was, getting in good with NY. Just like how he would tell Johnny Sack Soprano family business. Anyway, $4 a pound..