Just remove leveling altogether if it's such a hindrance.

[Shurrikhan]

I've not been hyperbolic, but I'll play your game: abolish it, just like I do with any product in my household I find useless: I will trash it. If it's not useful, then it's trash and only an idiot does not throw away what he considers to be trash.

So the game begins at raid-"level" so to speak. Fine. Are there any other means of advancement?
What does the gameplay experience basically feel like? Would I still have a reason to do things other than raid-content?