Please Explain This

Here's a hand from a 2-4 limit hold'em game I was just in. There was a lot of raising and cold-calling preflop, and I had pocket aces in the big blind. Two guys ended up all-in (yes, in a limit game) and I was sure someone must've made a set or trips, so I was just hoping to see the river cheaply. However, in retrospect, I think I should have bet the turn and river. I could figure that the player who went all-in before the flop probably has a high pair and thus doesn't have me beat; the player who went all-in on the flop may have a set; but the other players might not have much, or just a high pair that I can beat. Since I can assume one of the all-in players has the legit hand, I can bet and the other players might call, and I can win that side pot. But at the time, I thought that most of the players must have pairs to cold-call like that, and someone must've flopped a set. The jack on the turn killed the action. I would've won a big pot if that jack hadn't come.

Of course, hindsight is 20-20. See below to find out what kind of trash it turns out these players were raising and cold-calling with.

HERO posts big blind [$3].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to HERO [ Ac Ad ]
>You have options at Bad Beat Jackpot #1063072 Table!.
Guy1 folds.
Idiot1 raises [$6].
>You have options at Bad Beat Jackpot #1063072 Table!.
Idiot2 calls [$6].
Idiot3 calls [$6].
Guy2 folds.
Guy3 folds.
Idiot4 calls [$6].
Guy4 folds.
HERO raises [$6].
Idiot1 is all-In [$2.69]
Idiot2 calls [$3].
Idiot3 calls [$3].
Idiot4 calls [$3].
** Dealing Flop ** [ 8c, 2h, Jd ]
HERO bets [$3].
>You have options at Bad Beat Jackpot #1063072 Table!.
Idiot2 is all-In [$4.25]
Idiot3 calls [$4.25].
Idiot4 calls [$4.25].
HERO calls [$1.25].
** Dealing Turn ** [ Jh ]
HERO checks.
Idiot3 checks.
Idiot4 checks.
** Dealing River ** [ Qd ]
>You have options at Bad Beat Jackpot #1063072 Table!.
HERO checks.
Idiot3 checks.
Idiot4 checks.
HERO shows [ Ac, Ad ] two pairs, aces and jacks.
Idiot1 doesn't show [ 6c, Ah ] a pair of jacks.
Idiot2 shows [ 9c, Jc ] three of a kind, jacks.
Idiot3 doesn't show [ Ts, Td ] two pairs, jacks and tens.
Idiot4 doesn't show [ 4h, Kc ] a pair of jacks.
Idiot2 wins $17.24 from side pot #1 with three of a kind, jacks.
Idiot2 wins $41.95 from the main pot with three of a kind, jacks.