Can jazz be casually enjoyed?

Like, I'm not a musician, nor a student of music theory. But I find myself enjoying the melodies, the atmospheres the tracks build. I've listened to some classical music prior and loved it for the same reason. So what I wanna know is what does the understanding of the theory give me? I am a casual listener anyway thus I think it wouldn't matter but how much does it actually matter when it comes to focusing on enjoyment.