The best replacement for rules is discretion.

The best alternatives to rules are rated as following:
★★★★★  discretion
★★★★★  principles
★★★★  procedures
★★★★  laws
★★★  standards
★★  regulations
★  nfl rules
★  guidelines
★  real world
★  principles based accounting
★  policy
★  norms
★  policies
★  expectations
★  discretion policy
  discretion monetary policy
  statutes
  nhl
  sucks
  procedures classroom
  principle based accounting
  ufc rules
  values
  business requirements
  ethics
  rummy
  capitalization

Your alternative for rules is not listed? Suggest!
Speaking about rules, one probably shouldn't forget about relationship.

Other search terms related to rules and their ratings are:
★★★★★ relationship
★★★★ rules
★ quotation marks
negative numbers
You have in mind a companion for rules and it is not yet here? Propose!



Google Trends

Scale is based on the average worldwide traffic of rules in all years. Click on graph for more.
rules
discretion
principles