I think when you say "break down" you're thinking more of a hierarchy of needs situation, which is addressed by Maslow, who says that people don't consider their higher-being needs until their lower-being needs are met:
Kohlberg is more of a developmental stages matter. For the most part, when you're a child, you're in level 1 morality. As you move to adolescence and adulthood, you move to more of a level 2 morality. And so forth.