According to MN 14, jhāna is required to overcome temptation to sensuality. Since sensual desire (kāma taṇhā) is only overcome on the attainment of non-returning (anāgāmī), it follows that jhāna is required for full Awakening (arahant). Another important point is that both MN64 and AN 9.36 show that the first jhāna itself is adequate to use as a basis to end the fermentations (āsavakkhaya).
The discourses are not as explicit as to whether jhāna is essential for the first two fruits of the path. In MN 117, right concentration (sammā samādhi) defined as the four jhānas is shown to be the culmination of the path - but with no mention of specific levels of attainment. A layperson attains stream-entry (sotāpanna) just upon hearing the Dhamma in Ud 5.3, which implies that a mind with no hindrances is all that is required for the first attainment. Another point is that attainment of jhāna is not the same as its mastery, and AN 3.86 implies that mastery is only expected at the level of non-returning.
It is important to clarify what jhāna constitutes in this case, because there is also the case of wrong jhāna. In MN 108, Ven. Ānanda distinguishes between jhāna with and without the five hindrances, and the one without is the only one recommended. This means that in a technical sense, right concentration (sammā samādhi) is what is required, and jhāna, even though it's used synonymously nowadays, was used in the Canon to mean mental absorption, and not necessarily the four jhānas.